With one example of execution configuration of this invention, significant difference assaying of pixel value is done making use of the head functional image, the field where function can be preserved the field where the disease uniquely function can decrease and regarding diseased example in with. It detects the image which is decided that and, the result of significant difference assaying, average pixel value of the functional preservation region is larger than average pixel value of the improper function region significantly, as the image which includes the cranial nerve disease. It becomes possible to detect the cranial nerve diseased image objectively according to this example, without using the healthy person database.本発明の実施形態の一例では、頭部機能画像を用い、疾患特異的に機能が低下しうる領域と、疾患例においても機能が温存されうる領域との間において、画素値の有意差検定を行う。そして、有意差検定の結果、機能温存部位の平均画素値が機能低下部位の平均画素値より有意に大きいと判定された画像を、脳神経疾患を含む画像として検出する。この実施例によれば、健常者データベースを用いることなく脳神経疾患画像を客観的に検出することが可能となる。
