Abstract
Image analysis in clinical research has evolved at fast pace in the last decade. This review discusses basic concepts ranging from immunohistochemistry to advanced techniques such as multiplex imaging, digital pathology, flow cytometry and intravital microscopy. Tissue imaging ex vivo is still one of the gold-standards in the field due to feasibility. We describe here different protocols and applications of digital analysis providing basic and clinical researchers with an overview on how to analyse tissue images. In vivo imaging is not easily accessible to researchers; however, it provides invaluable dynamic information. Overall, we discuss a plethora of techniques that - when combined - constitute a powerful platform for basic and translational cancer research.
Highlights
Methodology for imaging human or mouse tissues has seen great progress, ranging from basic histopathological analysis under the microscope to recent automation and image digitalisation
In addition to clinical research, histopathology combined with imaging is a valuable tool to assess in situ changes in tissue specimens in an array of solid tumors
Application of deeplearning methods and artificial intelligence (AI) in translational studies has been used to investigate 1) how immune infiltrates vary across space within patients at the time of diagnosis57, 2) if the stroma-tumour cell ratio can predict ovarian cancer therapy responses[58], and 3) how tumour microenvironment (TME) forces shape the plasticity of cancer cells[21]
Summary
Methodology for imaging human or mouse tissues has seen great progress, ranging from basic histopathological analysis under the microscope to recent automation (computer-assisted diagnosis and machine learning technologies) and image digitalisation. Application of deeplearning methods and AI in translational studies has been used to investigate 1) how immune infiltrates vary across space within patients at the time of diagnosis57, 2) if the stroma-tumour cell ratio can predict ovarian cancer therapy responses[58], and 3) how TME forces shape the plasticity of cancer cells[21] Developing these approaches for biomedical research purposes is both exciting and challenging. Histo-cytometry On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that a new method for multiplex quantitative image analysis, known as “histo-cytometry”, was developed by Gerner et al in 201274 Such an analytical confocal microscopy method allows visualisation and quantification of phenotypically different immune cell populations within murine lymph nodes. It is a useful imaging approach that enables the generation of images through endogenous chemical species already present in biological tissues[106]
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