Simplified method of hepatic fibrosis quantification: design of a new morphometric analysis application.
BACKGROUND
Semiquantitative evaluation of liver specimens is considered the standard method for measuring fibrosis; however, these systems lack the precision of a quantitative technique.


METHODS
We developed an image analysis application (FibroXact) that automates and simplifies color segmentation. Trichrome slides were scanned and the program was used to evaluate each pixel based upon hue, lightness, and saturation values. Percent fibrosis was automatically calculated after thresholding.


RESULTS
Linear regression demonstrated a strong relationship between the FibroXact result and the semiquantitative result (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We have developed an image analysis application to quantify liver fibrosis. Correlation between our results and a standard semiquantitative system was demonstrated.
Friedenberg
Marc A
MA
The Pennsylvania State University School of Information Sciences and Technology, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Miller
Larry
L
Chung
Chan Y
CY
Fleszler
Frederick
F
Banson
Felice L
FL
Thomas
Rebecca
R
Swartz
Kenneth P
KP
Friedenberg
Frank K
FK
D001391:Azo Compounds; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008739:Methyl Green; D008853:Microscopy; D012984:Software
D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; C017768:trichrome stain; D008739:Methyl Green; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS)