Methodology for the representation, indexing and retrieval of images by contentMethodology for the representation, indexing and retrieval of images by content Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-10-241993enThis paper considers the requirements for the design and implementation of an image database system which supports the storage and retrieval of images by content. Attention is focused on a specific methodology for the efficient representation, indexing and retrieval of images based on spatial relationships and properties of objects. Images are first decomposed into groups of objects and are indexed by computing addresses to all such groups. This methodology supports the efficient processing of queries by image example, and avoids exhaustive searching through the entire image database. The performance of an image database system using the above methodology has been evaluated based on simulated images, as well as images obtained with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The results of this evaluation are presented and discussed.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Image and Vision Computing118504–521 Petrakis Evripidis Πετρακης Ευριπιδης Stelios C Orphanoudakis Elsevier