Quantitative microscopy and artificial intelligence: some philosophical reflections.
The interdisciplinary field of quantitative microscopy (computer-aided microscopy) and artificial image understanding systems is explored, with an emphasis on the philosophical aspects of pathology and artificial intelligence. Three methodological problems of traditional diagnostic pathology are identified: those of validity, variability and organisation. Quantitative microscopy is a potential research strategy for solving these problems. In practice, however, the quantitative microscopy program is handicapped by the difficulty of building artificial image-understanding systems. We discuss the segmentation problem in image understanding, and four general strategies, three cognitivistic and one connectionistic, are reviewed.
Kibbelaar
R E
RE
Department of Pathology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Vooijs
G P
GP
Mooi
W J
WJ
D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010336:Pathology / Q000295:instrumentation; D010686:Philosophy, Medical