An　image　of　a　finger　captured　under　infrared　light　contains　not　only　the　vein　pattern　but　also　irregular　shading　produced　by　the　various　thicknesses　of　the　finger　bones　and　muscles.　In　this　paper,　we　propose　a　new　method　to　enhance　the　contrast　of　the　finger　vein　image.　It　consists　of　five　parts:　wavelet　denoising,　normalization,　adjacentnode　threshold　image　method,　eliminate　black　block　and　burr,　thinning.　Firstly,　we　perform　stationary　wavelet　decomposition　and　transform　the　image　into　four　frequency　bands　and　design　different　denoising　methods　to　different　frequency　bands.　Then,　we　nomalizate　efficitive　gray　value　range　of　finger-vein　image　to　[0,255].　And　then,　the　binary　image　is　got　by　adjacentnode　threshold　image　method.　In　the　next,　small　blocks　and　burr　are　eliminated　basing　on　the　area　size　and　by　median　filter　algorithm　separately.　Finally,　we　obtain　the　skeleton　by　the　quick　thinning　algorithm.　The　experiments　show　that　the　proposed　method　can　properly　enhance　the　contrast　of　the　finger-vein　image　and　make　the　skeleton　express　geometric　structure　of　the　hand　vein　image　better.　©　2010　IEEE.