High-resolution color video cytophotometry

Abstract

Comparison was made between cytophotometric measurements obtained using two data acquisition systems, one a microphotometer and the other a rapid video camera system, to ascertain whether the degradation of data with the faster video acquisition system still results in recorded images of sufficient quality to permit computer discrimination between cells of very similar appearance. Normal-appearing intermediate cells from cases with normal cytology and those from patients with dysplasia or malignant disease, as well as the subvisual markers within these cells that have rendered them capable of cytophotometric discrimination, were used for the study. Comparison of the data recorded by the two systems indicates that the diagnostic information is preserved in the change-over to a full-field, video-rate scanning system, with differences in the data caused primarily by differences in the spectral response of the two systems. This was reflected in the substantial differences observed in the color-related features and the lesser differences seen in the textural features, while the morphometric features (outline and shape) were virtually unaffected. The differences were primarily expressed on a cell-to-cell basis; in sets of about 300 cells, which would be used in patient-to-patient comparisons, the feature values showed remarkable consistency between the two systems.