title: Fractal dimension as a prognostic factor for laryngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Based on the hypothesis that Fractal Dimension (FD) reflects heterogeneity of tumor tissue, we performed an image analysis study to calculate FD of tissue specimens from patients with laryngeal carcinomas in order to investigate its prognostic value.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laryngectomy specimens from 52 patients, who had previously undergone total laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinomas, were examined and their history files reviewed. Ten patients were lost from follow-up. Fractal Analysis software was used to estimate FD of histology sections by the box-counting method. FD of carcinomatous areas was correlated with survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a FD lower than the median value of the sample, estimated in sections of carcinomas, had statistically significant higher survival rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the sample of patients studied, FD could be used as a prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Athens Medical Center, Athens, Greece. aldelan3@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delides
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Panayiotides
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alegakis
authors.forename: Aspasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kyroudi
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banis
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavlaki
authors.forename: Emmanouel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helidonis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kittas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis