A visual analytics system for breast tumor evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a system for the interactive exploration and examination of histologically derived data that is associated with breast tumors and may be used to evaluate the histologic grade of the tumor.


METHODS
The system integrates pathologist-generated prognostic data with 2-dimensional (2-D) image analysis data, 2-D digital tissue cross-sections and annotations, 3-dimensional (3-D) tumor reconstructions and volumetric analysis, 3D spatial tumor display and recorded prognostic information from available cases in the Drexel University College of Medicine tumor databank. The system consists of 3 components: (1) a user interface for applying 2-D image processing, segmentation and annotation to a digitized histology slide, (2) a distance field interpolation method for contour-based 3D reconstruction of breast tumors and volumetric model analysis routines and (3) a Web-based database management interface for interactive data browsing and searching and multimodality visualization.


RESULTS
The system has been implemented and deployed with data from 36 breast cancer cases, 7 of which have been reconstructed in 3-D.


CONCLUSIONS
Interactive visual analytics technology may be used to create an effective breast tumor evaluation system.
Petushi
Sokol
S
Department of Pathology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA. spetushi@drexelmed.edu
Marker
Jeffrey
J
Zhang
Jasper
J
Zhu
Weizhong
W
Breen
David
D
Chen
Chaomei
C
Lin
Xia
X
Garcia
Fernando U
FU
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020407:Internet; D008954:Models, Biological; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software