title: Simplified method of hepatic fibrosis quantification: design of a new morphometric analysis application.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University School of Information Sciences and Technology, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Friedenberg
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Chan Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fleszler
authors.forename: Felice L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Banson
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Kenneth P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: Frank K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Friedenberg
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; C017768:trichrome stain; D008739:Methyl Green; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS)