title: Content-based analysis of Ki-67 stained meningioma specimens for automatic hot-spot selection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hot-spot based examination of immunohistochemically stained histological specimens is one of the most important procedures in pathomorphological practice. The development of image acquisition equipment and computational units allows for the automation of this process. Moreover, a lot of possible technical problems occur in everyday histological material, which increases the complexity of the problem. Thus, a full context-based analysis of histological specimens is also needed in the quantification of immunohistochemically stained specimens. One of the most important reactions is the Ki-67 proliferation marker in meningiomas, the most frequent intracranial tumour. The aim of our study is to propose a context-based analysis of Ki-67 stained specimens of meningiomas for automatic selection of hot-spots.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proposed solution is based on textural analysis, mathematical morphology, feature ranking and classification, as well as on the proposed hot-spot gradual extinction algorithm to allow for the proper detection of a set of hot-spot fields. The designed whole slide image processing scheme eliminates such artifacts as hemorrhages, folds or stained vessels from the region of interest. To validate automatic results, a set of 104 meningioma specimens were selected and twenty hot-spots inside them were identified independently by two experts. The Spearman rho correlation coefficient was used to compare the results which were also analyzed with the help of a Bland-Altman plot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that most of the cases (84) were automatically examined properly with two fields of view with a technical problem at the very most. Next, 13 had three such fields, and only seven specimens did not meet the requirement for the automatic examination. Generally, the Automatic System identifies hot-spot areas, especially their maximum points, better. Analysis of the results confirms the very high concordance between an automatic Ki-67 examination and the expert's results, with a Spearman rho higher than 0.95.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed hot-spot selection algorithm with an extended context-based analysis of whole slide images and hot-spot gradual extinction algorithm provides an efficient tool for simulation of a manual examination. The presented results have confirmed that the automatic examination of Ki-67 in meningiomas could be introduced in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Technology, 1 Politechniki Sq., 00-661, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zaneta
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Swiderska-Chadaj
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Technology, 1 Politechniki Sq., 00-661, Warsaw, Poland. markiewt@iem.pw.edu.pl.|Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserow St, 04-141, Warsaw, Poland. markiewt@iem.pw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserow St, 04-141, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartlomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grala
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserow St, 04-141, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorent
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D057205:Automation, Laboratory; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen
keywords: Hot-spot; Image analysis; Meningiomas; Whole slide images