Quantitative Fibrosis Assessment via Collagen Area Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing fibrosis in tissues, such as liver fibrosis, are invasive, semi-quantitative, and lack the ability to detect fine incremental changes, relying heavily on subjective user observations and being sensitive to biopsy sample size, which limits their accuracy and clinical utility.
Innovation Solution
A method that identifies and quantifies different types of collagen areas in tissue images, using features like portal, septal, and fibrillar collagen, to assess fibrosis progression through a fully quantitative approach, enabling more precise monitoring of fibrosis changes without the need for staining and providing a qFibrosis index for staging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If biopsy is performed for fibrosis assessment, then diagnostic information can be obtained, but physical discomfort and risk to the patient increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive biopsy procedure with a non-invasive optical imaging system that uses light to detect and quantify fibrosis in liver tissue, thereby eliminating physical discomfort and procedural risks while maintaining diagnostic accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical imaging system as an intermediary between the patient and the diagnostic process, using light interaction with tissue to obtain fibrosis information without direct tissue sampling, thus avoiding the harmful effects of biopsy
2Ease of operation
If semi-quantitative morphological approaches are used for fibrosis assessment, then user observations of architectural features can be obtained, but measurement precision and objectivity deteriorate due to inter- and intra-observer discrepancies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective visual observation with an automated optical imaging and analysis system that objectively quantifies fibrosis based on light scattering properties, eliminating inter- and intra-observer variability while maintaining ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the assessment from qualitative visual observations to quantitative measurements of light scattering parameters, enabling precise and objective fibrosis staging through measurable physical properties rather than subjective architectural feature evaluation
3Object-affected harmful factors
If current non-invasive techniques like FibroScan are used, then liver stiffness can be measured, but the ability to detect fine incremental fibrosis changes and provide detailed architectural information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fibrosis assessment into multiple quantitative parameters including collagen content, fiber orientation, and architectural features, allowing detection of fine incremental changes in each parameter rather than providing a single bulk stiffness measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds dimensional information about tissue architecture and collagen organization to the assessment, moving from one-dimensional stiffness measurement to multi-dimensional characterization including spatial arrangement and structural properties of fibrotic tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A method for assessing fibrosis in a tissue is proposed. The method uses a test image which is an image of the tissue and comprises identifying, from the test image, a portal collagen area, a septal collagen area and a fibrillar collagen area respectively comprising pixels representing portal collagen, septal collagen and fibrillar collagen of the tissue, obtaining quantitative values of one or more features for each identified area based on characteristics of the identified area in the test image and assessing fibrosis using the quantitative values obtained for all the identified areas.