Basic points in and practical aspects of the application of diagnostic morphometry.
The number of applications of diagnostic morphometry is rapidly increasing. We have routinely used this technique for more than four years in our laboratory. Essential points in the application are: the type of lesions to which it is applied, multivariate analysis instead of single variate analysis and selection by a skilled pathologist of the relevant microscopical features. Such selective morphometry is useful in up to four percent of the total material entering an average pathology laboratory; in teaching laboratories the percentage may be considerably higher (e.g. 10-12%). Most of the applications are found in tumourpathology, but applications in non-tumor pathology are also promising. It is expected that diagnostic morphometry will become widely available and accepted in the next three to five years. Special symposia, diagnostic courses and organization of interested pathologists within the framework of the diagnostic morphometry workgroup of the European Society of Pathology is expected to be of help in this direction. Highly automatic, yet interactive, methods will become available within the next five to ten years. Further acceptance of these methods in most laboratories by 1990 is likely. A modular setup of quantitative microscopy equipment therefore is advisable. Turn-key, dedicated instruments for well-defined diagnostic problems are another (future) possibility. The diagnostic morphometry process as a product requires support and quality control. The pathologist is responsible for this and diagnostic morphometry should be seen as an integrated part of the diagnostic process.
D003933:Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*