Nuclear chromatin texture in prostatic lesions. II. PIN and malignancy associated changes.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to identify and document prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and malignancy associated changes in secretory cell nuclei from visually normal appearing tissue regions of prostates harboring PIN or adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
High-resolution digitized images of nuclei were recorded in histologically normal appearing tissue regions at defined distances from the margin of PIN or malignant lesions. Features descriptive of nuclear chromatin texture were computed and used to derive a discriminant function score for each nucleus.


RESULTS
Secretory cell nuclei in prostates harboring either PIN or adenocarcinoma were shown to have statistically significantly different chromatin texture from secretory cell nuclei recorded in prostates free from any such lesion. The expression of PIN or malignancy associated changes was documented for distances up to 10 mm from the margin of a lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of characteristic changes in nuclear chromatin texture of nuclei from histologically normal appearing tissue in prostates with PIN or adenocarcinoma offers the potential for higher sensitivity of detection of such lesions and for earlier detection of changes potentially preceding the development of clinically significant disease.
Bartels
P H
PH
Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
Montironi
R
R
Hamilton
P W
PW
Thompson
D
D
Vaught
L
L
Bartels
H G
HG
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000473:pathology*; D003720:Densitometry; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry; D008297:Male; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*
D002843:Chromatin