title: Usefulness of discriminant analysis using nuclear three-dimensional analysis in atypical cells prepared from bronchial brushing cytology cases that are cytologically challenging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since well-differentiated adenocarcinoma cells of the lung (G1 cancer cells) show mild atypia, their differentiation from benign columnar epithelial cells (benign cells) is often difficult based on morphology. We performed discriminant analysis to distinguish benign from malignant cells by measuring 3-dimensional (3D) changes in nuclear luminance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discriminant analysis of 231 atypical cells prepared by bronchial brushing cytology, which were difficult to morphologically classify as benign or malignant, was performed using 100 G1 cancer cells. One hundred benign cells of bronchial brushing cytology specimens served as controls. The number of pixels of the nucleus, the number of focus layers and the level of change in the coefficient of variation (CV) of nuclear luminance between layers (3D-CV) were used as analytic parameters, and benign cells were discriminated from malignant cells based on the Mahalanobis distance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a result of discriminant analysis using a cutoff value determined in the control group, about 90% of the atypical cells difficult to classify as benign or malignant could be classified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For cells difficult to morphologically classify as benign or malignant, discriminant analysis based on 3D changes in nuclear luminance may be useful. This method can provide objective parameters for cancer diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan. kwashiya@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kiyotada
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Washiya
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noro
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narumi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurose
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*