TY - JOUR
T1 - Sampling variablity of computer-aided fractal-corrected measures of liver fibrosis in needle biopsy specimens
AU - Grizzi, Fabio
AU - Russo, Carlo
AU - Franceschini, Barbara
AU - Di Rocco, Mariagrazia
AU - Torri, Valter
AU - Morenghi, Emanuela
AU - Fassati, Luigi Rainero
AU - Dioguardi, Nicola
PY - 2006/12/21
Y1 - 2006/12/21
N2 - Aim: To assess the sampling variability of computer-aided, fractal-corrected measures of fibrosis in liver biopsies. Methods: Samples were derived from six to eight different parts of livers removed from 12 patients with clinically and histologically proven cirrhosis undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. Sirius red-stained sections with a thickness of 2μm were digitized using a computer-aided image analysis system that automatically measures the surface of fibrosis, as well as its outline perimeter, fractal surface and outline dimensions, wrinkledness, and Hurst coefficient. Results: We found a high degree of inter-sample variability in the measurements of the surface [coefficient of variation (CV) = 43% ± 13%] and wrinkledness (CV = 28% ± 9%) of fibrosis, but the inter-sample variability of Hurst's exponent was low (CV = 14% ± 2%). Conclusion: This study suggests that Hurst's exponent might be used in clinical practice as the best histological estimate of fibrosis in the whole organ, and evidences the fact that biopsy sections, which are fundamental for the qualitative diagnosis of chronic hepatitis, play a key role in the quantitative estimate of architectural changes in liver tissue.
AB - Aim: To assess the sampling variability of computer-aided, fractal-corrected measures of fibrosis in liver biopsies. Methods: Samples were derived from six to eight different parts of livers removed from 12 patients with clinically and histologically proven cirrhosis undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. Sirius red-stained sections with a thickness of 2μm were digitized using a computer-aided image analysis system that automatically measures the surface of fibrosis, as well as its outline perimeter, fractal surface and outline dimensions, wrinkledness, and Hurst coefficient. Results: We found a high degree of inter-sample variability in the measurements of the surface [coefficient of variation (CV) = 43% ± 13%] and wrinkledness (CV = 28% ± 9%) of fibrosis, but the inter-sample variability of Hurst's exponent was low (CV = 14% ± 2%). Conclusion: This study suggests that Hurst's exponent might be used in clinical practice as the best histological estimate of fibrosis in the whole organ, and evidences the fact that biopsy sections, which are fundamental for the qualitative diagnosis of chronic hepatitis, play a key role in the quantitative estimate of architectural changes in liver tissue.
KW - Cirrhosis
KW - Extra-cellular matrix
KW - Hepatitis C virus
KW - Image analysis
KW - Inter-sample variability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845979826&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i47.7660
DO - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i47.7660
M3 - Article
C2 - 17171796
AN - SCOPUS:33845979826
SN - 1007-9327
VL - 12
SP - 7660
EP - 7665
JO - World Journal of Gastroenterology
JF - World Journal of Gastroenterology
IS - 47
ER -