Sensitivity of Seescan TV image analysis in discriminating between normal, dysplastic and malignant oral smears.
OBJECTIVE
Smears from premalignant and malignant lesions may contain large proportions of normal cells together with atypical cells; that could reduce the sensitivity of cytologic diagnosis. The present study assessed the performance of the Seescan TV image analysis system (TVIAS) in distinguishing between normal, premalignant and malignant oral smears. The sensitivity of Seescan TVIAS was tested using both white and monochromatic light.


METHODS
Nuclear area (NA) and corrected integrated optical density (IOD) of 50 Feulgen-stained nuclei were measured in smears collected from normal oral mucosa (n = 6), lesions displaying epithelial dysplasia (n = 5) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (n = 5) using a Seescan TVIAS with both white and monochromatic light.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase (P < .001) in mean IOD for nuclei in smears from dysplastic lesions and carcinomas as compared with normal smears. For smears from carcinomas, the mean NA was significantly elevated as compared with dysplastic (P < .001) and normal smears (P < .01). Mean NA for dysplastic smears was significantly reduced as compared with normal smears. While all smears from premalignant and malignant lesions contained mostly normal nuclei, a significant proportion of abnormal nuclei was identified in each smear.


CONCLUSIONS
Although oral smears contain large amounts of normal cells, the Seescan TVIAS could successfully identify dysplastic and malignant cells on the basis of both IOD and NA values with or without the use of a monochromatic filter.
Mollaoglu
N
N
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental Faculty, University of Gazi, Ankara, Turkey. nurm@ada.net.tr
Cowpe
J G
JG
Potts
A J
AJ
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013690:Television
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm