An inexpensive microcomputer-based image-analysis system: novel applications to quantitative autoradiography.
We describe a relatively inexpensive, yet versatile and powerful microcomputer-based image-analysis system, and its applications to processing of deoxyglucose autoradiographic data. Images are acquired via a video camera mounted on a light microscope or a light box, and digitized in 40 ms to 512 X 512 picture elements with 8-bit resolution (256 gray levels). The bit-mapped image analysis hardware can provide up to 256 colors for pseudo-color coding, and virtually instantaneous readout of brightness values for densitometry. The system is controlled by an 8-bit S-100 bus microcomputer, providing flexibility and ease of expansion. In addition to pseudo-color coding and densitometry, we have developed programs for averaging of successive sections, image subtraction and quantitative reconstruction of different planes of section from serial autoradiograms.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003201:Computers; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008838:Microcomputers; D009482:Neurophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats
D005947:Glucose