Systems, processes, methods and machines for transforming image data into sizing and volume measurements for tissue

Abstract

Automated islet measurement systems (AIMS) in combination with tissue volume analysis (TVA) software effectively gauges volumetric and size-based data to generate heretofore unavailable information regarding, for example, populations of islet cells, stem cells and related desiderata.

1 . An automatic tissue scanning camera (ATSC) system, which comprises, in combination:
 a monochrome CCD camera;   a horizontally-mounted culture flask;   trans-illumination means, which means exceeds the deep field image size by a factor of at least two;   wherein placement of the flask between the illuminator and camera coaxially and opposed on crossed, ultra precision mechanical stages driven by processing means, generates rectangular arrays of continuous digital images, and;   whereby the density of any one cell, for example an islet cell, is derived as a function of scattering, absorption, and thickness.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising, tissue volume analysis (TVA) software, using thresholding to identify individual cells, for example islet cells, and to evaluate cross-sectional linear size of cells, for example islet cells, via an algorithmic simulacrum of manual counting under microscopy. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein said TVA software measures the optical transmission of each pixel within each cell, for example islet cell, using this to calculate thickness of tissue at that pixel based upon optical extinction; and,
 based on constant pixel area, calculates volume represented by respective pixels;   whereby voxels, volume elements, are then summed to generate resultory total cell, for example islet cell, volume.   
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein an automated image measurement algorithm is employed. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein an automated image measurement algorithm is employed. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein an automated image measurement algorithm is employed. 
     
     
         7 . A process for generating sizing and volume measurement data by transforming optical imagery, comprising, in combination:
 providing an AIMS/imaging apparatus/scanner;   having TVA algorithms and related software disposed therein;   imaging at least a cell;   generating predetermined fields for sizing and volume;   conforming, registering and (or otherwise validating) the resultory data; and,   using the same to create information which can be further compared to laser transsection microscopy and diffusing measurement data to confirm resulting data sets.   
     
     
         8 . A machine for transforming optical data into cellular sizing and volume measurement information, which, whereby a multiplicity of images are created using illumination spectra between at least about 500 and 700 nm to generate a plurality of sliced scanned images which are assembled based upon cross-sectional linear size used to calculate cell volume for a population, further comprising at least one of islets and spheres of stem cells; in combination with optionally, at least an independent unit for validating the same, whereby confocal microscopy, likewise capable of diffusivity measurement, enables optical slicing of images of said islets and spheres of stem cells horizontally, using scattered light to document the subject area, which when multiplied by thickness, generates an independent validation of the volume generated by said machine. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 8 , the islet cells being at least one population selected from the group of large animals, humans and swine.