title: Validation of image cytometry for sperm concentration measurement: Comparison with manual counting of 4010 human semen samples.
abstract: Sperm concentration is an essential parameter in the diagnostic evaluation of men from infertile couples. It is usually determined by manual counting using a hemocytometer, and is therefore both laborious and subjective. We have earlier shown that a newly developed image cytometry (IC) method may be used to determine sperm concentration. Here we present a validation of the IC method by analysis of 4010 semen samples. There was high agreement between IC and manual counting at sperm concentrations above 3mill/ml and in samples with concentrations above 12mill/ml the two methods can be used interchangeable. However, we found substantial differences in samples below 3mill/ml. We also assessed the accuracy of the two methods by repeated measurements of 248 samples, which revealed that IC measurements seemed more accurate. Moreover, based on ten samples counted by several operators the IC method had a lower coefficient of variation than the manual method (5% vs 10%), indicating a better precision of the IC method. In conclusion, measurement of sperm concentration by IC can be used at concentrations above 3mill/ml and seems more accurate and precise than manual counting, making it an attractive option in the daily clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorte L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Egeberg Palme
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Trine Holm
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Johannsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jørgen Holm
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Skakkebæk
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juul
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: kristian@almstrup.net.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Almstrup
mesh_terms: D053713:Azoospermia / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Image cytometry; Manual counting; Reproducibility; Sperm concentration