Improved Accuracy of Band Detection in GASepo System for Quantitative Analysis of Images in Epo Doping Control

In the year 2003, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) initiated an international project with the goal to develop a suitable and easy to use software system aimed at the standardized quantitative analysis of digital images acquired during the process of erythropoietin (Epo) doping control. Within the cooperation between Austrian Research Centers GmbH and Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of Sciences, improved image preprocessing method has been developed. The proposed method – Band Straightening Algorithm (BSA) – significantly reduces local geometric distortions in Epo images that cause band detection problems, especially incases with geometrically distorted and disrupted bands. The accuracy of the band detection is one of the most critical points of the Epo image analysis. In the year 2006, the proposed method has been implemented in the latest release of the software package GASepo 2.1, which is used in Doping-Control laboratories worldwide.