title: A computer-assisted automatic method for myelinated nerve fiber morphometry.
abstract: This paper describes a computer-assisted automatic method developed for myelinated nerve fiber morphometry. IBAS image analysis system was used. One-micron thick sections of sural nerve were stained with p-phenylenediamine. Dark myelin sheaths, standing out against a pale background, were identified by a binary transformation of the computer-stored image. Different parameters of the fibers as well as of the axons can be measured. The automatic system allows operator-interactive manipulation, if required, to avoid inclusion of wrong histologic structures. A large spectrum of statistics facilities are available. We performed a comparison between automatic and semi-automatic analysis. Measurements resulted virtually overlapping, but time was three to four times shorter with automatic procedure. The method here described is accurate and reliable, and permits economy of time and effort.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurological and Neurosurgical Sciences, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messina
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012984:Software; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000473:pathology