title: Quantitative study of germinal center area in normal and diseased tonsils using image analysis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to measure the germinal center area of secondary follicles in a consistent and unbiased manner using image analysis. Tonsil specimens were obtained from children with clinical evidence of recurrent tonsillitis and/or idiopathic tonsillar hypertrophy. Normal control biopsy specimens were obtained from children with no history of ear, nose, or throat infections. The results show a significant increase in the germinal center area in tonsils exhibiting hypertrophy when compared to normal controls (p < .002). Image analysis is an important tool for making quantitative size comparisons in lymphoid tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Children's Hospital of Buffalo 14214, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gorfien
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brodsky
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000473:pathology*; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012008:Recurrence; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery