Influence of sample size on image cytometry of DNA ploidy measurements.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the number of nuclei required for significant image cytometry DNA ploidy measurements on one archival case of breast cancer.


METHODS
From one case of aneuploid DNA breast cancer, 18 subsets made up of 152-1,524 for the whole population of undamaged nuclei and made up of 74-735 epithelial nuclei had DNA measured. DNA ploidy type and five DNA ploidy indices, allowing DNA ploidy histogram interpretation were evaluated on each population.


RESULTS
Three hundred nuclei were always sufficient for DNA typing, whereas reliable results for DNA ploidy indices required at least 750 nuclei.


CONCLUSIONS
To DNA measure the above number of nuclei, fully automated image cytometry DNA ploidy measurements are required.
Boudry
C
C
Pôle traitement et Analyse d'Images de Basse-Normandie, F. Baclesse Cancer Center, University of Caen (UMR CNRS 6551), France.
Herlin
P
P
Coster
M
M
Chermant
J L
JL
D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007620:Karyometry; D011003:Ploidies; D018401:Sample Size
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm