title: Assessment of the anemia of chronic disease by digital image processing of erythrocytes.
abstract: Eighteen patients with the anemia of chronic disease were studied to determine the usefulness and accuracy of image processing analysis of erythrocytes for diagnosis. Diagnostic tests used for comparison included estimates of serum ferritin, serum iron and iron-binding capacity, stainable marrow iron, and erythrocyte morphology as determined by standard methods. The findings show that the analyses obtained by image processing were diagnostic for 83% of the patients with chronic disease. Serum ferritin levels were supportive of diagnosis for 33% of the patients, and serum iron levels were useful for approximately 25% of the patients. Cell indices and marrow iron were of limited value. The study demonstrates that quantitative information obtained by digital image processing of erythrocytes can be very useful for the diagnosis of the anemia of chronic disease.
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003201:Computers; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins