Sperm sorting support device, sperm sorting support system, and sperm sorting support program

Abstract

To provide a sperm selection aid that enables the selection of good quality sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from among the sperm in a sample. [Solution] A sperm sorting assistance device comprising: an index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to the quality of sperm recognized in a video; an evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of first sperm recognized in a first time interval in a video and second sperm recognized in a second time interval different from the first time interval in a video, based on at least one index; and a display control unit that displays information relating to at least one index of the first sperm to the first sperm in the first time interval in a video, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm evaluated by the evaluation unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sperm selection assisting device, a sperm selection assisting system, and a sperm selection assisting program.

Background Art

[0002] As one of infertility treatments, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which directly injects sperm into the egg cytoplasm for fertilization, has been developed and put into practical use. In ICSI, operations such as sperm immobilization, sperm aspiration, and sperm injection into the egg are performed while observing sperm and eggs under a microscope, so ICSI is also called micromanipulation.

[0003] In order to increase the success rate of ICSI, it is important to select sperm and inject good sperm suitable for fertilization into the egg. However, whether the sperm obtained by the selection operation is good or not depends largely on the experience of the embryologist, the operator, and a gap in the fertilization success rate is likely to occur among embryologists. Therefore, a technique for objectively selecting good sperm is required.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a microscope system that assists in selecting good sperm during micromanipulation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, at present, the technology for assisting micromanipulation is still under development. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sperm selection assisting device, a sperm selection assisting system, a sperm selection assisting program, etc., which enable selection of good sperm suitable for micromanipulation from sperm in a specimen. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A sperm sorting assistance device relating to one aspect of this disclosure includes: an index calculation unit that calculates at least one index relating to the quality of sperm recognized in a moving image; an evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized in a first time interval in a moving image and a second sperm recognized in a second time interval different from the first time interval in a moving image, based on at least one index; and a display control unit that displays information relating to at least one index of the first sperm in relation to the first sperm in the first time interval in a moving image, and displays the evaluation of the relative quality of the first sperm and the second sperm evaluated by the evaluation unit.

[0008] This sperm selection assistance device displays a relative quality evaluation of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video, compared to a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video. Therefore, it allows for a more objective evaluation of sperm quality than when sperm selection is performed by comparing sperm present within the same time interval. Consequently, it makes it possible to select good sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from among the sperm in the sample.

[0009] A sperm sorting assistance system relating to one aspect of this disclosure comprises an imaging device that captures moving images of observed sperm, and a sperm sorting assistance device relating to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0010] A sperm sorting assistance program relating to one aspect of this disclosure causes a computer to function as: an index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to the quality of sperm recognized in a video; an evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized in a first time interval in the video and a second sperm recognized in a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one index; and a display control unit that displays information relating to at least one index of the first sperm in relation to the first sperm in the first time interval in the video, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm evaluated by the evaluation unit.

[0011] This sperm selection support system and program display a relative quality evaluation of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video, compared to a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video. Therefore, it is possible to perform a more objective evaluation of sperm quality than when sperm selection is performed by comparing sperm present in the same frame. Consequently, it becomes possible to select good sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from among the sperm in the sample.

[0012] Furthermore, the program relating to one aspect of this disclosure can be installed or loaded onto a computer and / or device by downloading it through various recording media such as optical discs like CD-ROMs, magnetic discs, or semiconductor memory, or via a communication network.

[0013] Furthermore, in this specification, "part" does not merely mean a physical configuration, but also includes cases where the functions of that configuration are realized by software. Also, even if the functions of one configuration are realized by two or more physical configurations, the functions of two or more configurations may be realized by one physical configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sperm selection support device, a sperm selection support system, and a sperm selection support program, etc., that enable the selection of good quality sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection from among the sperm in a sample. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an overall conceptual diagram of the sperm sorting assistance system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an example of a functional block diagram of the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual diagram of the video footage acquired by the acquisition unit of the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This shows an example of a database storing sperm indicators in the storage unit of the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a conceptual diagram of a moving image with a display attached by the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a conceptual diagram showing the switching of moving images generated by the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is an example of the physical configuration of the sperm sorting assistance device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows an example of the steps in the sperm selection method according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] The following description will detail embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from its essence. In the following drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are schematic and do not necessarily correspond to actual dimensions or proportions. There may be parts in the drawings where the relationships between dimensions or proportions differ from those of other parts.

[0017] Sperm Selection Assistance System Referring to FIG. 1, the sperm selection assistance system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, FIG. 1 is an overall conceptual diagram of the sperm selection assistance system 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0018] The sperm selection assistance system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a sperm selection assistance device 10 according to the present embodiment and an imaging device 20 that captures a moving image of sperm observed. The sperm is contained in the sample S.

[0019] The sample S contains sperm obtained from a patient or subject who wishes to undergo intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The sample S may contain, in addition to sperm, a sperm culture solution, or a highly viscous liquid that suppresses sperm motility (for example, a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution). The sample S may be placed in a dish made of, for example, glass or resin.

[0020] The imaging device 20 acquires a captured moving image of the sample S. In FIG. 1, the imaging device 20 captures an image in a plan view from directly above the sample S in the vertical direction. However, the imaging device 20 only needs to be able to acquire a moving image including sperm in the sample S, and does not necessarily have to be provided directly above the sample S in the vertical direction. The imaging device 20 magnifies and observes the sample S and captures some sperm in the sample S.

[0021] The imaging device 20 may be configured by an imaging device equipped with, for example, a CCD camera or a CMOS sensor. The imaging device 20 may capture the sample S through an optical microscope. The observation method using an optical microscope is not particularly limited, and examples include bright-field observation, dark-field observation, phase-contrast observation, polarization observation, spindle observation, differential interference observation, and relief contrast observation. Also, the magnification of the objective lens may be adjusted as appropriate, and may be, for example, 20 times, 40 times, 60 times, etc. The imaging device 20 acquires a moving image of the sperm contained in the sample S. At this time, in order to capture the sperm with high resolution, the sperm selection device 10 may adjust the settings of the imaging device 20 and / or the microscope system attached to the imaging device 20. This adjustment may also be performed by the person who performs intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

[0022] The sperm sorting support system 1 may include a microscope system. In this case, the sample S is placed on the microscope stage, and the imaging device 20 magnifies and images the sample S through the microscope.

[0023] In this case, the sperm sorting support system 1 may include a mechanism for electrically driving the stage on which the sample S is placed. According to this embodiment, imaging can be performed while tracking specific sperm by controlling the imaging device 20 and the drive mechanism.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the sperm sorting support device 10 is connected to the imaging device 20. In Figure 1, the sperm sorting support device 10 is connected to the imaging device 20 by a wire, but they may be connected wirelessly or physically integrated. Therefore, the imaging device 20 may be included in the sperm sorting support device 10 as part of the sperm sorting support device 10.

[0025] The sperm selection assistance device 10 assists in sperm selection by analyzing moving images of sperm acquired by the imaging device 20. However, the sperm selection assistance device 10 may also acquire separately captured moving images of sperm and perform sperm selection assistance on the sperm included in those moving images. The sperm selection assistance device 10 will be described in detail below.

[0026] (Sperm sorting assistance device) Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the sperm selection assistance device 10. The sperm selection assistance device 10 comprises an acquisition unit 11, an index calculation unit 12, a storage unit 13, an evaluation unit 14, a display control unit 15, and a recognition unit 16. The sperm selection assistance device 10 calculates an index related to sperm quality contained in the video image acquired by the acquisition unit 11 using the index calculation unit 12. The calculated index is stored in the storage unit 13, and the evaluation unit 14 evaluates the sperm quality based on the stored index. For sperm whose quality has been evaluated, information related to the index is displayed, and the quality evaluated by the evaluation unit 14 is displayed by the display control unit 15. At this time, the recognition unit 16 recognizes, identifies, and / or tracks the sperm. This makes it possible for the sperm selection assistance device 10 to select good sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection from among the sperm in the sample.

[0027] The acquisition unit 11 acquires the captured video images of the sample acquired by the imaging device 20. The captured video images include two or more different time intervals in which at least one sperm was captured. The acquisition unit 11 may acquire the video images being captured by the imaging device 20 in real time, or it may acquire video images that the imaging device 20 has captured in the past. The video images captured in the past may be edited video images from which time intervals in which no sperm were captured have been removed.

[0028] Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram of the video footage acquired by the acquisition unit 11. As shown in Figure 3(A), the video footage acquired by the acquisition unit 11 includes multiple time intervals in which sperm are being imaged.

[0029] The acquired video footage includes at least a first time interval in which the first sperm was imaged, and a second time interval different from the first time interval in which the second sperm was imaged. The video footage may further include a first time interval in which the third sperm was imaged, and a third time interval different from the second time interval. In Figure 3(A), the video footage includes the first time interval, the second time interval, and the third time interval. Therefore, the video footage includes multiple different time intervals in which sperm were imaged. Hereinafter, multiple time intervals including the first time interval, the second time interval, and the third time interval may be referred to as multiple different time intervals. Furthermore, with reference to Figure 3, the following description will explain a video image that includes the first, second, and third time intervals in which the first, second, and third sperm were imaged, respectively. The video image only needs to include the first and second time intervals in which the first and second sperm were imaged, respectively, or it may also include additional time intervals in which additional sperm such as the fourth, fifth, sixth, etc., were imaged.

[0030] In this specification, the "time interval" of a moving image is defined by each frame of the moving image and consists of one or more frames. The above-mentioned time interval may consist of one or more frames, but preferably it consists of two or more frames. Because the time interval consists of two or more frames, the movement of sperm can be identified from the time interval, and the quality of sperm can be evaluated based on sperm motility. If the time interval consists of one frame, the quality can be evaluated at least based on the morphology of the sperm.

[0031] The temporal order of the first, second, and third time intervals is not particularly limited. For example, the timestamps of the video may be oldest in the order of the first, second, and third time intervals, in which case the first time interval is the time interval in which images were captured most recently. Alternatively, the timestamps of the video may be newer in the order of the first, second, and third time intervals, in which case the third time interval is the time interval in which images were captured most recently. When the acquisition unit 11 acquires video images in real time and performs sperm selection in real time, the first time interval is preferably the most recently acquired time interval, as shown in Figure 3(A), and more preferably the time interval of the video images being acquired in real time. In this case, the second and third time intervals are time intervals acquired before the first time interval. In this embodiment, the quality of the sperm being imaged in real time can be evaluated based on the sperm included in the second and third time intervals that were imaged in the past, and sperm selection by the person performing the in vitro fertilization (typically an embryologist) can be assisted in real time.

[0032] Furthermore, if the timestamps of the video images are oldest in the order of the first, second, and third time intervals, and the first time interval is the most recent time interval captured, the sperm selection assist device 10 will evaluate the quality of the first sperm imaged in the past based on the second and third sperm images captured afterward. According to this embodiment, after the first sperm has already been selected and aspirated with the sperm injection tool, the quality of the first sperm can be evaluated based on the sperm imaged thereafter, and the skill level of the embryologist in selecting sperm can be evaluated. Alternatively, after the first sperm has been injected into the egg, the quality of the injected first sperm can be evaluated based on the sperm imaged thereafter. In this case, for example, after injecting the first, second, and third sperm into the egg, the relative levels of fertilization success rate, blastocyst formation rate, or implantation rate can be evaluated for each.

[0033] The first, second, and third time intervals are multiple distinct time intervals. The multiple distinct time intervals mean that they do not contain the same frame and consist of different frames. Therefore, the first, second, and third time intervals do not contain any overlapping time intervals. The first, second, and third time intervals may have one or more frames between them. Each of the first, second, and third time intervals may independently be, for example, 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.

[0034] Figure 3(B) is a conceptual diagram showing an image extracted from one frame contained within the first time interval of the acquired video. Similarly, Figures 3(C) and 3(D) are conceptual diagrams showing images extracted from one frame contained within the second and third time intervals of the acquired video, respectively.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3(B), frame 41 included in the first time interval of the video image captures multiple sperm, including the first sperm 41a and other sperm 41b to 41e. Each frame included in the first time interval only needs to include at least the first sperm 41a, and other frames included in the first time interval do not need to include any of the sperm 41b to 41e. The first time interval may be defined as a frame in which the first sperm 41a is in the imaging field of view, or a portion of a video image consisting of multiple frames in which the first sperm 41a is in the imaging field of view may be cropped and defined as the first time interval.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3(C), frame 42 included in the second time interval of the video image captures multiple sperm, including a second sperm 42a and other sperm 41c and 42b-42c. Frame 42 included in the second time interval includes a second sperm 42a that is not determined to be the same as the sperm 41a-41e included in the first time interval. Frame 42 included in the second time interval may also include a sperm 41c that is determined to be the same as the sperm 41c captured in frame 41 included in the first time interval.

[0037] When it is determined that sperm included in two frames are the same, it means that the recognition unit 16, described later, determines that those sperm are the same. However, it can be difficult to accurately determine whether two sperm at different time intervals are the same or different. Therefore, the recognition unit 16 is not limited to determining whether two sperm that it does not determine to be the same are actually the same or different. In other words, the recognition unit 16 may determine that sperm included in two frames are the same if it can be reliably determined that they are the same. For example, if sperm captured in the first frame are always present in the field of view of the moving image in each frame between the first and second frames, the recognition unit 16 can determine that those sperm are also captured in the second frame.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3(D), frame 43, included in the third time interval of the video, captures multiple sperm, including a third sperm 43a and other sperm 41c. Frame 43, included in the third time interval, includes a third sperm 43a that is not determined to be identical to the sperm 41a-41e included in the first time interval and the sperm 42a-42c included in the second time interval. Frame 43, included in the third time interval, may also include a sperm 41c that is determined to be identical to the sperm 41c captured in frame 41, included in the first time interval. It may also include a sperm that is determined to be identical to the sperm captured in frame 42, included in the second time interval.

[0039] Therefore, the time intervals, the first sperm, the second sperm, and / or the third sperm may be selected such that the first time interval does not contain the second sperm and / or the third sperm in the acquired video. The time intervals, the first sperm, the second sperm, and / or the third sperm may be selected such that the second time interval does not contain the first sperm and / or the third sperm. The time intervals, the first sperm, the second sperm, and / or the third sperm may be selected such that the third time interval does not contain the first sperm and / or the second sperm. In other words, at least one of the multiple sperm imaged in each time interval may differ in different time intervals.

[0040] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first sperm, second sperm, and third sperm are different from each other, but as mentioned above, it can be difficult to accurately distinguish between different sperm at different time intervals. Therefore, the first sperm, second sperm, and third sperm only need to be sperm that the recognition unit 16 does not determine to be the same as each other. The first sperm, second sperm, and third sperm may be different from each other, but two or more of these three sperm may be the same. Two or more of the first sperm, second sperm, and third sperm being the same means, for example, that the second sperm, which is imaged at the second time interval, moves out of the imaging field of view, and then in the subsequent first time interval, the second sperm returns to the imaging field of view and is recognized as the first sperm without being determined to be the same as the second sperm.

[0041] Furthermore, the imaging location and / or field of view in the first time interval may be changed from the imaging location and / or field of view in the second time interval. According to this embodiment, relative evaluation of sperm at different locations in sample S can be performed, and good sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection can be selected more objectively from among the sperm in the sample.

[0042] The acquisition unit 11 may be implemented by the communication unit 10d described later.

[0043] Returning to Figure 2, the index calculation unit 12 calculates at least one index related to sperm quality recognized in the video. Sperm quality refers to the properties of each sperm that relate to the fertilization success rate, blastocyst formation rate, implantation rate, and / or birth success rate when used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). High sperm quality means that the fertilization success rate, blastocyst formation rate, implantation rate, and / or birth success rate when used in ICSI are relatively high.

[0044] At least one indicator related to sperm quality is, but is not limited to, the indicators described in the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, Sixth Edition, published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Such indicators may include, for example, at least one of sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, or a calculation based on two or more of these.

[0045] The index calculation unit 12 may calculate at least one index related to sperm quality in various ways. For example, sperm motility can be indexed by the speed of movement and the linearity of the movement trajectory at predetermined time intervals. The index calculation unit 12 can track sperm at predetermined time intervals and calculate the speed of movement, linear speed, curvilinear speed, and linearity of the movement trajectory based on the positional information of the sperm in each frame. Sperm motility may also be calculated using a learning model that has been trained using sperm quality and movement as training data. The index calculation unit 12 may accept conditions that affect sperm motility, such as the preparation method of sample S, viscosity, and the concentration of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in sample S, and index motility based on these conditions.

[0046] Sperm morphology can be indexed based on the morphology of sperm imaged in each frame. The index calculation unit 12 may index the morphology of a single sperm based on multiple frames and calculate a single index by averaging these values. Sperm morphology can be indexed based on, for example, the shape of the sperm head, the shape of the tail, and the balance of defects and sizes thereof. The index calculation unit 12 may calculate the number of head vacuoles, the aspect ratio of the head, and / or the abnormal parts of the morphology and the number of abnormal parts, and calculate an index based on these values. Sperm motility may be calculated using a learning model that has been trained using sperm quality and morphology as training data.

[0047] The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation can be indexed by comprehensively considering sperm motility, such as the speed of movement and the linearity of the movement trajectory at predetermined time intervals, as well as the morphology of the sperm captured in each frame. The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation may also be calculated using a learning model that has been trained using the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation and sperm motility and / or morphology as training data. The index calculation unit 12 may calculate the degree of damage to sperm DNA and / or the number of damaged fragments, and calculate the index based on these values. The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation can also be measured using stained images obtained by selectively staining sperm that have undergone DNA fragmentation.

[0048] The index calculation unit 12 may calculate an index that comprehensively evaluates sperm quality by considering two or more of the above-mentioned indicators. The index calculation unit 12 may calculate an index by arbitrarily weighting indicators related to sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, and then averaging them. In this case, if any of the indicators fall below a threshold, a penalty may be imposed by deducting a certain number from the calculated indicator.

[0049] The indicator calculation unit 12 may normalize the calculated indicators; for example, it may normalize the lowest rating to 0 and the highest rating to 10 or 100.

[0050] The index calculation unit 12 may be implemented by a program stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and executed by the CPU 10a. The index calculated by the index calculation unit 12 may be stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and transmitted to each unit and device via the communication unit 10d.

[0051] The memory unit 13 stores at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12. The information stored in the memory unit 13 will be explained with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a database of sperm indexes stored in the memory unit 13.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4, the storage unit 13 stores the indices recognized by the recognition unit 16 and calculated by the index calculation unit 12 in the video footage acquired by the acquisition unit 11. An individual ID is assigned to each sperm recognized by the recognition unit 16 in the video footage, and the time in the video footage in which the recognition unit 16 recognized the sperm and / or the time in the video footage in which the index calculation unit 12 completed calculating the index are stored in association with each ID.

[0053] Furthermore, the indicators calculated by the indicator calculation unit 12 are also stored in association with each ID. The storage unit 13 may store all the indicators calculated by the indicator calculation unit 12, or it may store only some of the indicators.

[0054] In Figure 4, the record with ID XXX acquired at 01:23:68 and the record with ID XXX acquired at 02:20:13 are assigned the same ID. This is because the recognition unit 16 determined that the sperm acquired at 01:23:68 and the sperm acquired at 02:20:13 were the same. In this way, even if a sperm that has entered the imaging field of view of the moving image and had its index calculated leaves the imaging field of view of the moving image and then returns to the imaging field of view, the recognition unit 16 may assign the same ID if it determines that they are the same sperm. If the recognition unit 16 does not determine that they are the same sperm, they may be assigned different IDs. The recognition unit 16 may determine that two sperm with matching multiple indexes are the same sperm.

[0055] The memory unit 13 may be implemented by a RAM 10b or ROM 10c as described later.

[0056] Returning to Figure 2, the evaluation unit 14 relatively evaluates the quality of the first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video and the second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12.

[0057] By evaluating the quality of the first sperm sample through a relative comparison with the second sperm sample, it becomes possible to assess the quality of two sperm samples imaged at different time intervals. This allows for a more objective evaluation of sperm quality than when sperm selection is performed by comparing sperm present within the same time interval.

[0058] Specifically, conventional sperm selection assistance devices, for example, compare multiple sperm included in the imaging field of a microscope and present sperm of relatively high quality to the user performing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). However, while such devices can assist in selecting sperm of relatively high quality within the imaging field, it is unclear what level of quality those selected sperm represent among all sperm in the sample. The sperm selection assistance device 10 according to this embodiment can evaluate the quality of the sperm being evaluated based on sperm recognized at different time intervals, as described above. Therefore, it can not only select sperm of relatively high quality within the imaging field, but also assist in selecting sperm of relatively high quality among all sperm in the sample.

[0059] Therefore, it is preferable that the evaluation unit 14 compares the first sperm not only with sperm imaged at different time intervals, but also with sperm present within the same time interval. In other words, it is preferable that the evaluation unit 14 further evaluates the relative quality of multiple sperm, including the first sperm recognized during the first time interval, based on the index calculated by the index calculation unit 12.

[0060] Referring to Figure 3, an example of evaluation in the evaluation unit 14 will be explained. The evaluation unit 14 evaluates the first sperm 41a imaged in frame 41 included in the first time interval shown in Figure 3(B). In one embodiment, the evaluation unit 14 may evaluate the relative quality of multiple sperm 41a to 41d recognized during the first time interval and select the sperm that is evaluated as having relatively superior quality among the multiple sperm 41a to 41d as the first sperm. The evaluation unit 14 may compare the quality of multiple sperm 41a to 41d based on at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12. For example, the relative quality may be evaluated based on the magnitude of any of the indices calculated by the index calculation unit 12, preferably two or more indices calculated from sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation. Alternatively, one or more sperm in which at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold may be selected as the first sperm. Furthermore, when multiple sperm are selected as the first sperm, a relative quality evaluation is performed for each of the selected sperm compared to the second sperm.

[0061] In this specification, the threshold for determining that a particular sperm is of superior quality among multiple sperm may be set as the top 50%, top 75%, or top 90% based on the number of sperm cells in the population, or as the top 5, top 3, top 2, or top 1. Alternatively, a threshold may be set based on the diagnosis of male infertility of the patient or subject who provided the sperm and wishes to undergo intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and the sperm may be judged as superior quality if a specific indicator exceeds that threshold. Alternatively, the judgment may be made by visual inspection by the person performing the ICSI, or by values ​​measured by a CASA (Computer-Aided Sperm Analyzer) or SQA (Sperm Quality Analyzer). Alternatively, a threshold may be set by referring to the distribution (histogram) of indicators in multiple sperm created as described below, and the sperm may be judged as superior quality if a specific indicator exceeds that threshold.

[0062] When the evaluation unit 14 performs a relative evaluation of the quality of the first sperm 41a, it relatively evaluates the quality of the first sperm 41a in relation to the second sperm 42a imaged in frame 42 included in the second time interval shown in Figure 3(C). The evaluation unit 14 may compare the quality of the first sperm 41a and the second sperm 42a based on at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12. For example, the evaluation unit 14 may perform a relative evaluation of quality based on the magnitude of any of the indices calculated by the index calculation unit 12, preferably two or more indices calculated from sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation.

[0063] In one embodiment, when selecting the second sperm 42a, the evaluation unit 14 may evaluate the relative quality of multiple sperm 42a to 42c that are not determined to be the same as the sperm recognized during the first time interval, and select the sperm that is evaluated to be of relatively superior quality among the multiple sperm 42a to 42c as the second sperm.

[0064] In one embodiment, the evaluation unit 14 may perform a relative evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm by referring to at least one index of the second sperm stored in the memory unit 13. In this case, the evaluation unit 14 may use any of the sperm stored in the memory unit 13 that are not determined to be the same as the sperm recognized in the first time interval as the second sperm for evaluating their relative quality with the first sperm. Alternatively, the evaluation unit 14 may use any sperm that are determined to be of relatively superior quality from among the sperm that are not determined to be the same as the sperm recognized in the first time interval as the second sperm.

[0065] When relatively evaluating the quality of the first sperm 41a, further relative evaluations with other sperm are also possible, as long as a relative evaluation with the second sperm 42a is performed. For example, the evaluation unit 14 may relatively evaluate the quality of the first sperm and the third sperm recognized in a third time interval different from the first and second time intervals in the video, based on at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12.

[0066] In one embodiment, the evaluation unit 14 may perform a relative evaluation of the first sperm 41a with a plurality of sperm for which at least one index is stored in the memory unit 13. In this case, the plurality of sperm includes the second sperm. According to this embodiment, the quality of the first sperm can be evaluated in a relative evaluation with a plurality of sperm for which an index has been calculated and at least one index is stored in the memory unit 13, which are identified before the first sperm.

[0067] The method for performing a relative evaluation of the first sperm 41a with multiple sperm, each of which at least one index is stored in the memory unit 13, is not particularly limited. For example, a distribution (histogram) of the indexes possessed by the multiple sperm to be compared can be created, and an evaluation can be performed to determine where the index possessed by the first sperm 41a is located in that distribution, for example, what percentage it is in the top. The evaluation unit 14 may retrieve information about the multiple sperm, each of which at least one index is stored in the memory unit 13, from the memory unit 13 and calculate an overall evaluation of the sperm in sample S. For example, the evaluation unit 14 may calculate at least one selected from a group consisting of the number or rate of abnormal sperm (number or percentage of sperm with morphological abnormalities), the number or percentage of sperm whose motility index exceeds a threshold (motile sperm), the number or percentage of sperm whose motility index falls below a threshold (immobile sperm), sperm concentration, and the ratio of motile sperm to immobile sperm (sperm motility rate).

[0068] The evaluation unit 14 may be implemented by a program stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and executed by the CPU 10a. The evaluation by the evaluation unit 14 may be stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and transmitted to each unit and device via the communication unit 10d.

[0069] Returning to Figure 2, the display control unit 15 displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm for the first sperm at the first time interval in the moving image, and also displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit 14.

[0070] If the video acquired by the acquisition unit 11 is a video captured in the past, the display control unit 15 may edit each frame included in the first time interval of the video and display information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm, as well as display the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit 14.

[0071] If the acquisition unit 11 acquires video footage in real time and performs sperm sorting in real time, and the first time interval is the time interval of the video footage being acquired in real time, the display control unit 15 may, as soon as it obtains the evaluation from the evaluation unit 14, associate information on at least one indicator of the first sperm with the video footage being acquired in real time and display the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit 14. Therefore, the display control unit 15 can also be described as a video footage generation unit that generates video footage displaying the evaluation.

[0072] Referring to Figure 5, the information displayed by the display control unit 15 will be explained. Figure 5 is an example of a display image 50 that shows at least one index related to the first sperm and the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm evaluated by the evaluation unit 14 in frame 41 of the first time interval shown in Figure 3(B).

[0073] As shown in Figure 5, in frame 41, sperm 41a is accompanied by information 51a indicating that it is a first sperm, that is, an evaluation of its relative quality compared to a second sperm. The information 51a can be any shape that surrounds sperm 41a, and its shape is not limited to a circle; for example, it may be an ellipse, polygon, star, etc. The information 51a may include ID information that identifies sperm 41a. In Figure 5, the information 51a includes the fact that the ID of sperm 41a is 0065.

[0074] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, sperm 41b and 41c are also selected as first sperm, and information 51b and 51c are attached to indicate that they represent an evaluation of their relative quality to the second sperm. In Figure 5, information 51b and 51c include that the IDs of sperm 41b and 41c are 0046 and 0084, respectively.

[0075] As shown in Figure 5, if there are multiple sperm in frame 41 whose relative quality evaluation with respect to the second sperm is displayed, the information 51a, 51b, and 51c indicating that the relative quality evaluation with respect to the second sperm is displayed may further include information indicating the quality relative to each sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, and may include information regarding at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12. The information 51a, 51b, and 51c may indicate the quality relative to each sperm by the shape, form, or color of the figure surrounding the sperm, and may indicate the magnitude of at least one index by the shape, form, or color of the figure surrounding the sperm. In Figure 5, the colors of the figures surrounding the sperm are emphasized in order of highest quality, i.e., in the order of sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c. The shape, form, or color of the figures surrounding the sperm in information 51a, 51b, and 51c may be adjusted to emphasize only the sperm of the highest quality. Information 51a, 51b, and 51c may display the quality ranking among the sperm contained in frame 41, or they may display the quality ranking among multiple sperm stored in the storage unit 13.

[0076] In Figure 5, the displayed image 50 has a region 52 that displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit 14. The configuration of region 52 is not particularly limited as long as it displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit 14. In Figure 5, for sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, which have been evaluated by the evaluation unit 14, the relative quality evaluation of the second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval is shown. More specifically, region 52 displays a histogram of indices possessed by multiple sperm stored in the memory unit 13, and displays information 53 indicating where the indices possessed by sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c are located in the histogram. In other words, region 52 shows a relative evaluation of the quality of sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, with respect to a plurality of sperm for which at least one index is stored in the memory unit 13, including a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval. In Figure 5, as information 53, the IDs 0065, 0084, and 0046, which are assigned to sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c respectively, are displayed at the position of the histogram in which each sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c exists. Region 52 may also display an overall evaluation of the sperm in sample S estimated from the plurality of sperm stored in the memory unit 13. Area 52 may display at least one of the following: the number or percentage of malformed sperm in sample S (the number or percentage of sperm with malformed morphology), the number or percentage of sperm whose motility indicator exceeds a threshold (motile sperm), the number or percentage of sperm whose motility indicator falls below a threshold (immobile sperm), sperm concentration, and the ratio of motile sperm to immobile sperm (sperm motility rate).

[0077] Display image 50 may also display magnified images 54a, 54b, and 54c of sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, showing their relative quality evaluations with respect to a second sperm. Displaying magnified images allows the person performing intracytoplasmic sperm injection to focus on the morphology and motility of each sperm. The magnified images may also include the ID and / or at least one of the indicators of the magnified sperm. In Figure 5, an index that comprehensively evaluates sperm quality, calculated from multiple sperm-related indicators displayed in region 55 described later, is displayed for each magnified image.

[0078] The displayed image 50 may show at least one indicator associated with the first sperm. In Figure 5, regions 55a, 55b, and 55c are displayed, each associated with enlarged images 54a, 54b, and 54c of sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, which show an evaluation of their relative quality with the second sperm. The displayed indicator is not particularly limited as long as it is at least one indicator calculated by the indicator calculation unit 12, but in Figure 5, indicators showing the motility, morphology, and degree of DNA fragmentation of each sperm are displayed. Here, the indicator showing sperm motility may be one or more selected from the group consisting of motility speed, linear speed, curvilinear speed, linearity of the movement trajectory, and a value that comprehensively shows sperm motility, which may be calculated from these values. An index indicating sperm morphology may be one or more selected from a group consisting of the shape of the sperm head, the shape of the tail, the number of head vacuoles, the balance of their sizes (e.g., the aspect ratio of the head), the location and number of morphological abnormalities, and a value that comprehensively indicates the sperm morphology, which may be calculated from these values. An index indicating the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation may be one or more selected from a group consisting of the degree of sperm DNA damage, the number of damaged particles, and a value that comprehensively indicates the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, which may be calculated from these values.

[0079] Furthermore, the display control unit 15 can switch between displaying a video that associates information about at least one indicator with the first sperm, and a video that does not display information about at least one indicator.

[0080] Referring to Figure 6, the switching of moving images in the display control unit 15 will be explained. Figure 6(A) is an example of a frame in frame 41 at the first time interval shown in Figure 3(B), in which information 51a, 51b, and 51c, as information relating to at least one indicator for sperm 41a, 41b, and 41c, as explained using Figure 5, is displayed. In Figure 6(A), information 51a, 51b, and 51c indicates that they display an evaluation of the relative quality with respect to the second sperm, and also indicates the top three sperm with the highest predetermined indicators within frame 41. Furthermore, the colors of the shapes surrounding the sperm are emphasized in order to indicate that the predetermined indicators are higher in this order.

[0081] Figure 6(B) is an example of a frame in frame 41 at the first time interval shown in Figure 3(B) in which information about at least one indicator for the first sperm is not displayed. As shown in Figure 6(B), the video that does not display information about at least one indicator may be a video acquired by the acquisition unit 11, or a video that the display control unit 15 does not display.

[0082] Figure 6(C) is an example of a frame in frame 41 at the first time interval shown in Figure 3(B), in which information 51a, as explained using Figure 5, is displayed as information about at least one indicator for sperm 41a. In Figure 6(C), information 51a indicates that it displays an evaluation of the relative quality with respect to a second sperm, and also indicates the sperm with the highest value for a given indicator within frame 41.

[0083] The display control unit 15 may be implemented by a program stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and executed by the CPU 10a. The moving image displayed by the display control unit 15 may be stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later, transmitted to each part and device via the communication unit 10d, or displayed on the display unit 10f. When the sperm sorting assistance device 10 is connected to a microscope system, the moving image displayed by the display control unit 15 may be transmitted to the microscope system via the communication unit 10d and projected onto the eyepiece of the microscope system.

[0084] Returning to Figure 2, the recognition unit 16 analyzes the video to recognize, identify, and / or track sperm. Methods for recognizing sperm from video include preparing multiple representative images showing typical sperm shapes and using these representative images for pattern matching in each frame of the video, or using a learning model trained with observed sperm images as training data.

[0085] The recognition unit 16 may assign individual ID information to sperm captured in the video. The recognition unit 16 may assign ID information to sperm in each frame, and may assign the same ID information to identical sperm. The recognition unit 16 may determine that sperm included in two frames are identical and assign the same ID information to them if it can be determined with certainty that they are the same sperm. For example, if a sperm captured in the first frame is always within the field of view of the video between the first frame and the second frame, the recognition unit 16 may determine that the sperm in the second frame are the same sperm by tracking the sperm. In determining whether two sperm are identical, the recognition unit 16 may consider at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit 12 for each sperm. For example, if one or more of the indices calculated by the index calculation unit 12 match or substantially match, the two sperm may be determined to be identical. The indicators are considered to be nearly identical if the absolute difference between the indicators of two sperm is 1% or less, 2% or less, 3% or less, 4% or less, 5% or less, or 10% or less, relative to the indicator of either sperm.

[0086] The recognition unit 16 may be implemented by a program stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and executed by the CPU 10a. The recognition by the recognition unit 16 may be stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c described later and transmitted to each unit and device via the communication unit 10d.

[0087] Next, the physical configuration of the sperm selection assistance device 10 will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the physical configuration of the sperm selection assistance device 10. The sperm selection assistance device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, which corresponds to a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10b and a ROM (Read-only Memory) 10c, which correspond to storage units, a communication unit 10d, an input unit 10e, and a display unit 10f. Each of these components is connected to each other via a bus so that data can be sent and received from each other. In this example, the case in which the functions of the sperm selection assistance device 10 are configured by a single computer is described, but the functions of the sperm selection assistance device 10 may be realized by combining multiple computers. Also, the configuration shown in Figure 7 is just an example, and the sperm selection assistance device 10 may have other components, or may not have some of these components.

[0088] The CPU 10a controls the execution of programs stored in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c, and performs calculations and processing of data. The CPU 10a is a calculation unit that executes a program that causes the computer to function as an acquisition unit 11, an index calculation unit 12, a storage unit 13, an evaluation unit 14, a display control unit 15, and a recognition unit 16. The CPU 10a receives various data from the input unit 10e and the communication unit 10d, and displays the calculation results of the data on the display unit 10f or stores them in the RAM 10b or ROM 10c.

[0089] RAM 10b is a data-rewritable memory unit and may be composed of, for example, semiconductor memory elements. RAM 10b may store the program executed by CPU 10a. Note that these are examples, and RAM 10b may store other types of data.

[0090] ROM10c is a data readable portion of the storage unit and may be composed of, for example, semiconductor memory elements. ROM10c may store, for example, data that is not rewritten.

[0091] The communication unit 10d is an interface that connects the sperm sorting assistance device 10 to other parts and devices, such as the imaging device 20. The communication unit 10d may be connected to a network by wire or wireless.

[0092] The input unit 10e accepts data input from the user and may include, for example, a keyboard and a touch panel.

[0093] The display unit 10f visually displays the calculation results from the CPU 10a and may be configured as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), for example. The display unit 10f may display the captured video image acquired by the imaging device 20 and the video image with a display added by the display control unit 15.

[0094] The sperm selection assistance program according to this embodiment may be stored and provided in a computer-readable storage medium such as RAM 10b or ROM 10c, or it may be provided via a communication network connected by the communication unit 10d. In the sperm selection assistance device 10, the CPU 10a executes the program according to this embodiment, thereby realizing the functions described with reference to Figure 2. These physical configurations are illustrative and do not necessarily have to be independent. For example, the sperm selection assistance device 10 may include a Large-Scale Integration (LSI) in which the CPU 10a and RAM 10b and / or ROM 10c are integrated.

[0095] [Sperm Selection Methods] The following describes a method for selecting sperm using the sperm selection support system according to this embodiment. Because the sperm selection method according to this embodiment utilizes the sperm selection support system, it is possible to select good quality sperm suitable for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from among the sperm in a sample. In particular, it is possible to objectively select sperm of high quality.

[0096] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the steps in the sperm selection method according to this embodiment. Although not shown in Figure 8, the person performing the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (typically an embryologist) places the sample S in the sperm selection support system according to this embodiment and sets it up so that the sample S is within the imaging field of the imaging device 20.

[0097] The following describes a method in which the sperm selection assistance system 1 automatically performs sperm selection without intervention from the person performing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). However, all or part of the following steps can be performed manually by the person performing ICSI. Furthermore, when acquiring moving images from the imaging device 20 in real time, the processing to assist in sperm selection may also be performed in real time. Therefore, the following steps may be performed in parallel at predetermined time intervals of the moving images. In one embodiment, the step of storing sperm indicators can be omitted.

[0098] As shown in Figure 8, in the sperm sorting method according to this embodiment, first, a video image of sperm is acquired from the imaging device 20 through the acquisition unit 11 (hereinafter also referred to as "step S1"). In step S1, a video image that has been captured in advance may be acquired, or a video image acquired by the imaging device 20 may be acquired in real time.

[0099] Next, each sperm is recognized (hereinafter also referred to as "step S2"). In step S2, the recognition unit 16 analyzes the video images it has acquired and recognizes the sperm captured at predetermined time intervals in the video. At this time, the recognition unit 16 may assign ID information to each sperm. The recognition unit 16 may also store the time of recognition and the assigned ID information for each sperm in the storage unit 13.

[0100] Next, the index calculation unit 12 calculates at least one index for the sperm recognized in step S2 (hereinafter also referred to as "step S3").

[0101] Next, the index calculated in step S3 is associated with each sperm and stored in the memory unit 13 (hereinafter also referred to as "step S4").

[0102] Next, the quality of at least one sperm for which an index was calculated in step S3 is evaluated (hereinafter also referred to as "step S5"). In step S5, based on the index calculated in step S3, sperm with relatively high quality or sperm for which at least one index exceeds a threshold may be selected from among multiple sperm recognized during the first time interval. If the selected sperm is designated as the first sperm, the quality of the first sperm is evaluated relative to that of a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval. In the relative evaluation of quality with the second sperm, the relative evaluation of the quality of the first sperm may be performed using one or more sperm for which the index was stored in step S4.

[0103] In step S5, the quality of one of the sperm being imaged in real time by the imaging device 20 may be evaluated. Alternatively, in step S5, multiple sperm may be identified at a predetermined time after the start of observation of sample S, and the sperm quality may be evaluated after creating a histogram for at least one index calculated in step S3.

[0104] Next, the display control unit 15 displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm, whose quality was evaluated relative to the second sperm in step S5, and generates a video displaying the relative quality evaluation relative to the evaluated second sperm (hereinafter also referred to as "step S6"). In step S6, the imaging device 20 may generate a video in real time that displays information relating to at least one indicator of one of the sperm being imaged in real time, and displays the relative quality evaluation relative to the evaluated second sperm.

[0105] Next, the video generated in step S6 is displayed (hereinafter also referred to as "step S7"). In step S7, the video may be displayed on the display unit 10f of the sperm sorting support device 10, or it may be projected onto the eyepiece of a microscope system connected to the sperm sorting support device 10.

[0106] [Differentiation] Although an example of this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above. For example, unless otherwise specified, the examples and / or preferred embodiments, etc. (preferred, more preferred, even more preferred, even more preferred embodiments, etc.) in the description of each component and step can be arbitrarily combined to form this embodiment. For example, for each embodiment, an embodiment described as a preferred embodiment may be combined with another embodiment described as a preferred embodiment, or an embodiment described as a preferred embodiment, etc. may be combined with a configuration described as a more preferred embodiment (or even more preferred embodiment, etc.). Furthermore, each component and step may be omitted as appropriate, as long as it does not hinder the effects of this embodiment.

[0107] For example, the sperm sorting assistance system 1 shown in Figure 1 may include a tool for immobilizing sperm in sample S, and / or a sperm injection tool for aspirating sperm and subsequently injecting them into the cytoplasm of an egg.

[0108] The sperm injection tool may be, for example, an injection pipette commonly used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The sperm injection tool may also include means for immobilizing the sperm selected by the sperm selection assistance device 10. Means for immobilizing the sperm include means for applying weak vibrations such as a piezoelectric element, and means for irradiating with laser light. The sperm injection tool may also include a pressure control mechanism for aspirating and injecting the sperm.

[0109] Furthermore, in the flowchart of the sperm selection method according to this embodiment shown in Figure 8, the sperm in the sample may be imaged by the imaging device 20 before or in parallel with step S1. In this case, the sperm selection device 10 may adjust the settings of the imaging device 20 and / or the microscope system attached to the imaging device 20 in order to image the sperm with high resolution. This adjustment may be performed by the person performing the intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

[0110] [Note] This disclosure includes the following embodiments. [1] An index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to sperm quality recognized in a video image, An evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video and a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one of the aforementioned indicators, A display control unit that, in the first time interval in the video, displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm for the first sperm, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit, A sperm sorting aid equipped with [a specific feature]. [2] The evaluation unit further evaluates the relative quality of multiple sperm, including the first sperm, recognized during the first time interval, based on the calculated index. A sperm sorting aid described in [1]. [3] The first sperm is a sperm that has been evaluated as being of relatively superior quality among the plurality of sperm. [2] The sperm sorting aid described above. [4] The system further comprises a storage unit that stores the at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit, The evaluation unit performs a relative evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm by referring to at least one index of the second sperm calculated by the index calculation unit and stored in the storage unit. A sperm sorting aid described in any one of [1] to [3]. [5] The evaluation unit performs a relative evaluation of the first sperm and a plurality of sperm for which the at least one index is stored in the memory unit, based on the at least one index. A sperm sorting aid described in [4]. [6] The evaluation unit further evaluates the relative quality of the first sperm and the third sperm recognized in the video during a third time interval different from the first and second time intervals, based on the at least one index. A sperm sorting aid described in any one of [1] to [5]. [7] The display control unit is capable of switching between displaying a video showing information relating to the at least one indicator to the first sperm, and a video showing no information relating to the at least one indicator. A sperm sorting aid described in any one of [1] to [6]. [8] The aforementioned at least one indicator is calculated from at least one of the following: sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, or two or more of these. A sperm sorting aid described in any one of [1] to [7]. [9] The device comprises an imaging device for capturing moving images of sperm, and a sperm sorting assistance device as described in any one of [1] to [8]. Sperm sorting assistance system.

[10] Computers, An index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to sperm quality recognized in a video image, An evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video and a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one of the aforementioned indicators, A display control unit that, in the first time interval in the video, displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm for the first sperm, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit, A sperm selection assistance program that functions as such. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0111] 1...Sperm sorting assistance system, 10...Sperm sorting assistance device, 11...Acquisition unit, 12...Index calculation unit, 13...Storage unit, 14...Evaluation unit, 15...Display control unit, 16...Recognition unit, 20...Imaging device, 41,42,43...Frame, 50...Display image, S...Sample.

Claims

1. An index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to sperm quality recognized in a video image, An evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video and a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one of the aforementioned indicators, A display control unit that, in the first time interval in the video, displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm for the first sperm, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit, A sperm sorting aid equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The evaluation unit further evaluates the relative quality of multiple sperm, including the first sperm, recognized during the first time interval, based on the calculated index. A sperm sorting aid according to claim 1.

3. The first sperm is a sperm that has been evaluated as being of relatively superior quality among the plurality of sperm. The sperm sorting aid according to claim 2.

4. The system further comprises a storage unit that stores the at least one index calculated by the index calculation unit, The evaluation unit performs a relative evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm by referring to at least one index of the second sperm calculated by the index calculation unit and stored in the storage unit. A sperm sorting aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The evaluation unit performs a relative evaluation of the first sperm and a plurality of sperm for which the at least one index is stored in the memory unit, based on the at least one index. The sperm sorting aid according to claim 4.

6. The evaluation unit further evaluates the relative quality of the first sperm and the third sperm recognized in the video during a third time interval different from the first and second time intervals, based on the at least one index. A sperm sorting aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The display control unit is capable of switching between displaying a video showing information relating to the at least one indicator to the first sperm, and a video showing no information relating to the at least one indicator. A sperm sorting aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The aforementioned at least one indicator is calculated from at least one of the following: sperm motility, sperm morphology, and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, or two or more of these. A sperm sorting aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The device comprises an imaging device for capturing moving images of sperm, and a sperm sorting assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Sperm sorting assistance system.

10. Computers, An index calculation unit that calculates at least one index related to sperm quality recognized in a video image, An evaluation unit that relatively evaluates the quality of a first sperm recognized during a first time interval in the video and a second sperm recognized during a second time interval different from the first time interval in the video, based on at least one of the aforementioned indicators, A display control unit that, in the first time interval in the video, displays information relating to at least one indicator of the first sperm for the first sperm, and displays the relative quality evaluation of the first sperm and the second sperm as evaluated by the evaluation unit, A sperm selection assistance program that functions as such.

Images