ABSTRACT
We present herein a robust algorithm for cell tracking in a sequence of time-lapse 2-D fluorescent microscopy images. Tracking is performed automatically via a multiphase active contours algorithm adapted to the segmentation of clustered nuclei with obscure boundaries. An ellipse fitting method is applied to avoid problems typically associated with clustered, overlapping, or dying cells, and to obtain more accurate segmentation and tracking results. We provide quantitative validation of results obtained with this new algorithm by comparing them to the results obtained from the established CellProfiler, MTrack2 (plugin for Fiji), and LSetCellTracker software.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Cell Tracking/methods , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods , Microscopy, Fluorescence/methods , Time-Lapse Imaging/methods , Cell Nucleus/physiology , HeLa Cells , HumansABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: the aim of our study was determination of the relationship between angiogenesis and clinical as well as histological features in laryngeal cancer. METHODS: we used two different methods of estimation of the amount of microvessels in the series of 55 cases, e.g. classical count of endothelial cells group (h-MVD) and digital image measurement of the vessel density (VD). RESULTS: neither h-MVD nor VD correlated significantly with clinical features of the tumour. The results of VD examination correlated significantly with the existence of nodal metastases (P=0.02). The relationship between h-MVD and N status was on the statistical borderline (P=0.07). Multivariate analysis of Cox's proportional hazards model revealed that only N status correlated significantly with patients' survival. CONCLUSION: our results indicate that measurements of angiogenesis in laryngeal cancer may be of some value in predicting N status in laryngeal cancer patients. This issue should be confirmed in prospective studies.
