Proc. of 2020 7th Int. Conf. on Information Tech.
, Computer, and Electrical Engineering (ICITACEE)
Size-based Feature Extraction on Blood Cells
Calculation Process Using k-Means Clustering
Isya’ Aryan Sulistyo
Departement of Electrical Engineering, Departement of Computer Engineering,
Diponegoro University, Diponegoro University,
Semarang, Indonesia Semarang, Indonesia
isya.arya@usm.ac.id rizal@ce.undip.ac.id
Abstract— In human blood, there is a blood plasma that
has the most important function in the human body. Blood
Plasma consists of red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood
cells (leukocytes), and platelets. Of these three blood cells can
be known health condition in humans, by counting the number
of blood cells contained in the blood. In this modern era,
computing systems are very helpful for various areas, one in
the medical field to calculate and classify the shape and size of
cells in the blood. Therefore, this research creates a system that
is capable of extraction of features on blood cells using
morphological methods as well as grouping of multiple blood
cells based on size using the method K-Means Clustering to
calculate the number of Blood cells. The image processing
patterns in blood cells begins with the image capture of blood
cells using a microscope, the image of blood cells in the
extraction based on size and shape using morphological
surgery, then from the process of extraction of blood cells will
be in Group into three based on the size and shape of the
erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets using K-Means
Clustering.
The processing of image patterns in blood cells begins
with the image capture of blood cells using a microscope,
the image of blood cells in the extraction based on size
and shape using morphological surgery, the results of
the extraction process of blood cells will be grouped into
three based on size and shape using K-Means Clustering.
The grouping process will be known to the number of
each of these blood cells. The method used in this study
resulted in the percentage of successful object
recognition and a very good calculation. Results of the
percentage generated 60% success and error 40%, it is
still a lot of improvement with the process of object
recognition based on the characteristics of the blood cells
using other methods.
Keywords—Image processing, blood cell, morphology,
K-Means Clustering
I. INTRODUCTION
Blood is an element of fluid that is found in the body,
which plays an important role in the working mechanism of
the body that serves as a medium or transportation of long-
range materials between the cell and the external
environment or between the cells itself [1]. Homeostatic
serves as a medium to carry various minerals or other
materials in the body. One of them is to determine the health
of the body and can determine some types of diseases by
counting the number of cells in the blood[2].
In the blood, some special cells that can determine the
health of the body. Among them erythrocytes, leukocytes,
and platelets. From some of these cells have their distinctive
features one of them is different size and shape[3][4].
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978-1-7281-7226-2/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE
R. Rizal Isnanto Munawar Agus Riyadi
Departement of Electrical Engineering,
Diponegoro University,
Semarang, Indonesia
munawar@elektro.undip.ac.id
Erythrocytes have a spherical form of such as discs that are
both concave and have a size diameter of 7.5 μm with a
thickness of 2 μm[2]. In leukocytes have different forms and
sizes with erythrocytes. Leukocytes have a size of 10–15 μm
irregular shape but have a cell nucleus[4][5]. Erythrocytes
have a very small size and shape compared to erythrocytes
and leukocytes, erythrocytes have a size of 2-4 μm and a
biconvex disc-shaped[2]. Of some traits that blood cells have
can be seen differences and can be counted the number of
blood cells to determine the health of the body[6].
The research was conducted by S. Manik, L. M. Saini,
and N. Vadera, “Counting and classification of white blood
cell using Artificial Neural Network (ANN),” in Power
Electronics, Intelligent Control and Energy Systems
(ICPEICES), IEEE International Conference on, 2016.
Artificial Neural Network (ANN) used for the classification
of white blood cells that have been segmented and extracted
based on the shape of white blood cells. As in this case, the
classification of leukocytes consists of three categories
namely Basophils, Eosinophils, and Neutrophils, based on
the uniformity of morphological features (cell area, core
area) and texture features (energy, homogeneous). The
approach is to form two classes namely the input class and
the target class. The input class is set as one group in the
same matrix. The target class is set close to the desired
shape, thus indicating a different class based on the number
of vectors received[4]. Further research was conducted by J.
Cheng and J. C. Rajapakse, “Segmentation of clustered
nuclei with shape markets and marking function,” IEEE
Trans. Biomed. Eng., vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 741–748, 2009. The
Watershed Algorithm method is used based on the shape
and distance used during the segmentation process. Make a
set of coordinate points in an area with the minimum value
of an image (x,y). Images are generally pre-processed
images first, then C (min) becomes a collection of
coordinates in the filling area that have a relationship with
the area (considered the filler area and the minimum area
forms an interconnected component). A min-max notation is
used to mark the minimum and maximum values of (x,y).
Blood cells have different nuclei and have different sizes,
one of which has a different nucleus and shape. As seen in
this experiment, the proposed method can produce very little
segmentation results. Since there are many blood cells
stacked, morphological methods must separate from the
stacked cells to know the shape and can stain them one by
one[13].
In this study, how to calculate blood cells using a
computerized system with image processing, in calculating
blood cells based on the results of images taken using a
microscope[7]. From the resulting microscope image is
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processed using image processing based on the size and
shape of the blood cells[8].
The methods used in this study use morphological repairs
and K-Means Clustering[9]. Morphological surgery is used
to characterize the characteristics of the blood cells, features
that are traction among other characteristics of the size
(extents and circumference), and the position (coordinates)
of an object[10]. The centroid is the middle coordinate of an
object, the area is the number of pixels that compose on the
object, while the circumference is the number of pixels that
reside on the boundary object[11]
Fig. 2. Indicates the results of blood cells from the microscope.
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
B. PROCESSING IMAGE
In this process, the methods used are two parts, including
At this stage begins with the acquisition of microscope
the process of image segmentation, and the process of
image data which is the actual capture of direct preparation
extraction of features using the image morphological
on the microscope. After knowing the image of blood cells
operation. After the segmentation process, the blood cells
will be done segmentation process on image[5].
will be grouped using K-means clustering. Fig. 1. shows the
Segmentation is transforming the RGB image into a
Block Diagram of the system.
grayscale image as well as smoothes the image by removing
the noise on an image and separating the intersecant blood
cells to draw out the characteristics of the blood cells[12].
Fig. 3. RGB to grayscale.

Fig. 3. RGB to grayscale.

Fig. 1. Block Diagram of proposed methods
A. DATA COLLECTION
Blood cell data collection is a microscopic image file of
blood cells. The process of data collection of blood cells is
done in the Hematology laboratory. Figure. 2. Indicates the
results of blood cells from the microscope.
C. FEATURE EXTRACTION
In the process of extraction, this feature is used for object
recognition in the image. The introduction of objects in an
image generally requires a feature that can be in the
extraction process. The process of identifying objects in the
image generally requires a feature that can distinguish
between objects one and the other and form the blood cells.
The features that can be extracted include a characteristic of
the size (area and circumference) and the position (centroid
coordinates) of an object. The centroid coordinates the
middle point of an object, the area is the number of pixels
composing on the object. Meanwhile, the circumference is
the number of pixels located on the boundary object[11].
Once the object is recognized. From the introduction, it is
known that a character is given in the form of an object and
can be labeled based on its shape and size. Fig. 4. Blood cell
extraction.

Fig. 4. Blood cell extraction

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D. MORPHOLOGY
Morphology is used to determine the difference in the
shape and size of blood cells. In the research here are
used opening and closing operations. The Opening is
used to remove the Drau and the shape that corresponds
to the structuring element used to separate the objects
that overlap each other. Figure. 5. Shows opening
operations on the image of blood cells.

Fig. 7. Erythrocytes. Fig. 8. Leukocyte

Fig. 5. Blood cell opening results.

E. K-MEANS CLUSTERING
The K-Means method is a clustering method that classes
the data according to specific characteristics or similar traits
or alike. From the data has characteristics of them (features,
attributes, properties) in this time processing K-Means are
used to group blood cells based on the shape and size of the
blood cells. In the process, grouping obtained the
characteristic to grouping one of the shape and size of blood
cells. By knowing the size and shape of each blood cell, it
will be grouped in one cluster data based on the shape and
size. Fig. 6. K-Means clustering results.
Fig. 9. Platelets
After the extraction process features get results, the next
process is the grouping of blood cells based on the
extraction results of the feature. This grouping uses the K-
mean grouping method, the grouping is divided into three
groups including erythrocyte, leukocytes, and platelets. This
grouping is based on centroid points generated by detected
objects. In the first cluster are leukocyte cells cluster both
erythrocyte cells and groups of three platelets. In example 1,
the K-means clustering method by which the object is
recognized is 51 objects, of which cluster 1 is 6 objects,
cluster 2 amounts to 27 objects and cluster 3 is 6 objects.
Table I. K-Means results in the blood cell image.

TABLE I. RESULTS OF K-MEANS ON THE IMAGE OF

BLOOD CELLS

No Cluster Blood cells No Cluster Blood cells

1 2 erythrocytes 21 3 platelets
2 1 leukocytes 22 1 leukocytes
3 1 leukocytes 23 2 erythrocytes
4 3 platelets 24 2 erythrocytes
5 3 platelets 25 2 erythrocytes
6 2 erythrocytes 26 2 erythrocytes
7 2 erythrocytes 27 2 erythrocytes
Fig. 6. K-Means clustering results.
8 2 erythrocytes 28 2 erythrocytes
III. RESULTS 9 3 platelets 29 2 erythrocytes
With the results of this characteristic extraction then 10 2 erythrocytes 30 1 leukocytes
each blood cell will be separated based on the area and
11 2 erythrocytes 31 2 erythrocytes
Perimeter generated in the process of extraction feature. Fig.
7. Erythrocytes, Fig. 8. Leukocyte, Fig. 9. Platelets. 12 2 erythrocytes 32 2 erythrocytes
13 3 platelets 33 2 erythrocytes
14 2 erythrocytes 34 2 erythrocytes

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 TABLE I. RESULTS OF K-MEANS ON THE IMAGE OF
BLOOD CELLS (CONTINUE) The results in this system are evidenced by the
comparative results of tests in the laboratory. From being
No Cluster Blood cells No Cluster Blood cells produced in tests in systems with laboratory results, the
detection system is best in erythrocytes and platelets,
15 2 erythrocytes 35 2 erythrocytes
whereas in leukocytes it is very bad because of
16 2 erythrocytes 36 3 platelets identification on experiencing early overlap on objects.
17 2 erythrocytes 37 3 platelets Stacked and shiny erythrocyte objects have the same area
and character in leukocyte cells.
18 2 erythrocytes 38 2 erythrocytes
19 1 leukocytes 39 1 leukocytes IV. CONCLUSION
20 2 erythrocytes 40 2 erythrocytes Based on the results of the research that has been done,
this research can be concluded in several ways. The system
Calculation of each of the blood cells, in the calculation shows good results in erythrocytes and platelets, while
of blood cells based on the clustering process. Where on leukocytes are very bad because many objects have the
each cell will be aggregated the detected objects on each same area as leukocyte cells. The process of identifying
clustering Table II. Blood cell calculation results. many erythrocyte cells is overlapping, Objects known as
erythrocytes overlapping and squeaking each other have the
TABLE II. BLOOD CELL CALCULATION RESULT
same area as the area identified as leukocytes. This proposed
Blood Cell Blood Cell Counts
blood cell calculation results in an average accuracy of 78%
No in erythrocytes and leukocyte accuracy 19%, while in
Image
Erythrocytes Leukocytes Platelets platelet cells produce 67% accuracy in the sample tested on
1 Sample 1 112 31 25 the system.
2 Sample 2 125 36 10
Imagery that is overcalculated and innumerable in
addition to being influenced by image characters is also
3 Sample 3 111 18 27 included in the method used. The method used still does not
4 Sample 4 145 18 29 get optimal results. Because the threshold value of each
blood cell is still affected by overlapping and overlapping
5 Sample 5 136 18 38
blood cells. This affects the results of centroid methods
The data generated by the system is compared to the transmitted, especially in the blood cell readings of
results of data based on laboratory testing. To calculate the leukocytes. With a large area, overlapping and overlapping
percentage of precision on the system then you can use the cells are read into one blood cell at the same rate as
formula. leukocytes cells.
Accuracy 1– Laboratory testing – System testing x100% (1)
Laboratory testing REFERENCES

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III. Shows the results of the comparison of the system and
the results of laboratory tests and the accuracy of the
system.
TABLE III. COMPARISON OF THE PERCENTAGE OF
SYSTEM TO LABORATORY RESULT
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