Humanitas Mirasole S.p.a.

Humanitas Mirasole S.p.s.

Carlo Russo

Fabio Grizzi

Nicola Dioguardi

Barbara Franceschini

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing and metrically quantifying images of objects containing clusters of points/spots, such as biological specimens comprising cluster of cells, in particular of human or animal origin, or images thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing images of irregularly shaped objects in the form of at least one cluster of punctiform or spot-shaped objects, comprising a stage of acquisition of a digital image of said objects, a stage of image elaboration (IMA-EL) for quantizing said digital image to 1 bit and a stage of metrical processing of said 1-bit quantized image, wherein said stage of metrical processing comprises a stage of object's metrical quantification (QUANT) that on its turn comprises: -a stage of triangularization (TRIANG) for transforming the said at least one cluster of punctiform or spot-shaped objects into a grid of triangles wherein the apexes of the triangles correspond to the center of said punctiform or spot-shaped objects; -a stage of parameter calculation (PAR-CLC) for calculating at least one of the following parameters: -external perimeter of the said grid of triangles; -area (AC) of the said grid of triangles; -area (ACINF) of the said punctiform or spot-shaped objects inside the said grid of triangles; -area (APINF) of the isolated punctiform or spot-shaped objects outside the said at least one cluster; -density (DC) of the said punctiform or spot-shaped objects inside the said at least one cluster.

Method and apparatus for analyzing clusters of objects

The present invention relates to an 'in vitro' diagnostic method for diseases affecting human or animal tissues, in particular for the diagnosis of diseases involving inflammation and fibrosis in human or animals, more particularly for liver diseases. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for diagnosing 'in vitro' abnormal morphological conditions in human or animal tissues affected by a chronic inflammatory disease, which comprises observing an image of a biopsy sample of the human or animal body in which said abnormal condition can be detected and metrically quantifying said abnormal morphological condition, wherein said step of metrically quantifying comprises detecting the extent of the fibrotic and of the inflammatory tissue by means of: i) calculating the fractal corrected perimeter (Pf) and/or area (Af) of the collagen islets, and ii) calculating the percentage area of the clustered inflammatory cells by means of the formula ACINF/AB&#xb7;100, wherein ACiNF is the actual area of the inflammatory cells belonging to clusters and AB is the area of the biopsy sample.

'In vitro' diagnostic method for diseases affecting human or animal tissues

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing images of irregularly shaped objects, such as biological specimens, in particular of human or animal origin, or images thereof. The metric quantification of a biological body part or tissue or of an abnormal material spot or aggregate contained therein is also performed by means of the invention method. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing images of irregularly shaped objects, comprising a stage of acquisition of a digital image of said object, a stage of image elaboration (IMAEL) for quantifying said digital image to 1 bit and a stage of metrical processing of said 1-bit quantized image, wherein said stage of metrical processing comprises: &#x2014;) a stage of object's metrical quantification (QUANT) for determining Euclidean perimeter P and/or area A of said object; &#x2014;) a stage of dimensional calculation (DIM-CLC) for calculating a fractal-corrected perimeter Pf and/or area Af of said object.

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Corsico, Italy

Carlo Russo