Eli Lilly and Company

Brian L Kuyatt

William Henry Jordan

Eric S Schaberg

Cindy L Gatlin

A method and apparatus for analyzing two-dimensional structures to obtain three-dimensional quantitative information therefrom includes a video camera, a digitizing board for transforming video image output signals from the video camera into digital data, and a computer for analyzing the digitized video image data. Regions of interest or desired objects in the video image corresponding to the video image data are observed by an operator. Thresholding commands are supplied to the computer instructing the computer to manipulate the digitized video image data to enhance or distinguish the regions of interest from other areas in the video image. Once sufficient thresholding is accomplished, the computer executes an algorithm that identifies the regions of interest, draws a solid line around them, and sets all of the video image data defining each region of interest bounded by a solid line to a predetermined threshold value. Subsequently, a grid size is specified by the operator and an analysis grid is overlaid on the video image data. The video image data is analyzed at locations corresponding to the grid intersection locations. If a region of interest is found to exist at a grid intersection location, a point count value is incremented. Further, the computer counts the total regions of interest in the video image data. The video image data can be thresholded at other grayscale levels to identify other regions of interest in the video image data. Thus, other regions of interest can be quantified. Stereologic values such as N.sub.A (number per area), N.sub.V (number per volume), and V.sub.V (volume per volume) can be derived from the results of the video image data analysis performed according to the present invention.

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New Palestine, IN, United States of America

Brian L Kuyatt