Computer identification of neoplastic urothelial nuclei from the bladder.
OBJECTIVE
To introduce computer-based analysis of Feulgen-stained urinary bladder cell nuclei from voided urine to identify neoplastic urothelial nuclei.


METHODS
Nuclei from 23 healthy people and 33 patients with urinary bladder cancer were analyzed. The nuclei from 9 cancer patients with grade G1 (stage Ta), 17 with grade G2 (stages Ta, T1, T1a and T2) and 7 with grade G3 (stages Cis, Ta + Tis, T1 and T3b) were analyzed. Image analysis was carried out by means of a digital image processing system designed by the authors. Features describing nuclei were selected as the first step of the procedure. Then a multistage classifier was constructed to identify positive and negative cases.


RESULTS
The results of this pilot study of a group of 56 patients yielded a 71% correct classification rate in the control group, while a 66% rate was obtained among the cancer patients. The sensitivity of the method was 100% and the specificity was 77%.


CONCLUSIONS
This approach to the identification of neoplastic urothelial nuclei may be sufficiently well developed to be used successfully both in screening high-risk populations and in clinical practice.
Dulewicz
A
A
Department of Biomedical Information Processing Methods, Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw. monika@ibib.waw.pl
Pietka
B D
BD
Jaszczak
P
P
Nechay
A
A
Sawicki
W
W
Pykalo
R
R
Kozminska
E
E
Borkowski
A
A
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000652:urine; D014556:Urine / Q000166:cytology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000473:pathology*
D004396:Coloring Agents; C007722:Feulgen stain; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes