Abstract
BackgroundAutomated image analysis enables quantitative measurement of steatosis in histological images. However, spatial heterogeneity of steatosis can make quantitative steatosis scores unreliable. To improve the reliability, we have developed novel scores that are “focused” on steatotic tissue areas.MethodsFocused scores use concepts of tile-based hotspot analysis in order to compute statistics about steatotic tissue areas in an objective way. We evaluated focused scores on three data sets of images of rodent liver sections exhibiting different amounts of dietary-induced steatosis. The same evaluation was conducted with the standard steatosis score computed by most image analysis methods.ResultsThe standard score reliably discriminated large differences in steatosis (intraclass correlation coefficient ICC = 0.86), but failed to discriminate small (ICC = 0.54) and very small (ICC = 0.14) differences. With an appropriate tile size, mean-based focused scores reliably discriminated large (ICC = 0.92), small (ICC = 0.86) and very small (ICC = 0.83) differences. Focused scores based on high percentiles showed promise in further improving the discrimination of very small differences (ICC = 0.93).ConclusionsFocused scores enable reliable discrimination of small differences in steatosis in histological images. They are conceptually simple and straightforward to use in research studies.
Highlights
Automated image analysis enables quantitative measurement of steatosis in histological images
A whole-slide image of a Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained liver section was divided into a grid of square tiles and the steatosis area fractions in the individual tiles were determined by automated image analysis
The tile size determines the we considered focused scores based on the mean and on certain percentiles of the steatosis area fractions of steatotic tiles
Summary
Automated image analysis enables quantitative measurement of steatosis in histological images. Hepatic steatosis describes the pathological accumulation of fat in the liver. It is the defining characteristic of fatty liver disease (FLD), one of the most common liver disorders in the Western world [1]. Steatosis is assessed in order to investigate risk factors of FLD, like alcohol abuse, obesity, or drug toxicity, and to develop anti-steatotic therapies [2, 3]. Histological analysis is the gold standard for assessment of steatosis [4]. For this purpose, liver tissue samples are processed into paraffin-embedded slides and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E).
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