Method and system for digital staining of label-free fluorescence images using deep learning

Abstract

A deep learning-based digital staining method and system are disclosed that enables the creation of digitally/virtually-stained microscopic images from label or stain-free samples based on autofluorescence images acquired using a fluorescent microscope. The system and method have particular applicability for the creation of digitally/virtually-stained whole slide images (WSIs) of unlabeled/unstained tissue samples that are analyzes by a histopathologist. The methods bypass the standard histochemical staining process, saving time and cost. This method is based on deep learning, and uses, in one embodiment, a convolutional neural network trained using a generative adversarial network model to transform fluorescence images of an unlabeled sample into an image that is equivalent to the brightfield image of the chemically stained-version of the same sample. This label-free digital staining method eliminates cumbersome and costly histochemical staining procedures and significantly simplifies tissue preparation in pathology and histology fields.