title: Computer-Assisted Classification Patterns in Autoimmune Diagnostics: The AIDA Project.
abstract: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are significant biomarkers in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases in humans, done by mean of Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF) method, and performed by analyzing patterns and fluorescence intensity. This paper introduces the AIDA Project (autoimmunity: diagnosis assisted by computer) developed in the framework of an Italy-Tunisia cross-border cooperation and its preliminary results. A database of interpreted IIF images is being collected through the exchange of images and double reporting and a Gold Standard database, containing around 1000 double reported images, has been settled. The Gold Standard database is used for optimization of a CAD (Computer Aided Detection) solution and for the assessment of its added value, in order to be applied along with an Immunologist as a second Reader in detection of autoantibodies. This CAD system is able to identify on IIF images the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence pattern. Preliminary results show that CAD, used as second Reader, appeared to perform better than Junior Immunologists and hence may significantly improve their efficacy; compared with two Junior Immunologists, the CAD system showed higher Intensity Accuracy (85,5% versus 66,0% and 66,0%), higher Patterns Accuracy (79,3% versus 48,0% and 66,2%), and higher Mean Class Accuracy (79,4% versus 56,7% and 64.2%).
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benammar Elgaaied
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ciaccio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fauci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morgante
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Taormina
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Yousr
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gorgi
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marrakchi Triki
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Melika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hechmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Louzir
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Ariana, 2080 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sadok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yalaoui
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sfar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imene
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Yassine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Issaoui
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abidi
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammar
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bedhiafi
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Oussama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben Fraj
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Rym
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouhaha
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Khouloud
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamdi
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Koudhi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soumaya
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Bilel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neili
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1088 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Gati
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asma
authors.affiliation: Ospedale S. Antonio Abate, 91016 Trapani, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucchese
authors.affiliation: Ospedale S. Antonio Abate, 91016 Trapani, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catanzaro
authors.affiliation: Ospedale S. Antonio Abate, 91016 Trapani, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barbara
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Buccheri La Ferla Fatebenefratelli, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brusca
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Buccheri La Ferla Fatebenefratelli, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fregapane
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Civico, 90121 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.affiliation: Ospedale di Sciacca, 92019 Agrigento, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Friscia
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Trai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neila
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Souayeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkia
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Haouami
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Youssra
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rekik
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Ariana, 2080 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouokez
authors.affiliation: CyclopusCAD srl, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasile Simone
authors.affiliation: CyclopusCAD srl, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fauci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università Degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raso
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear