Fibrosis Staging via Collagenous and Elastic Fiber Occupancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pathological diagnosis methods based on collagenous fiber area occupancy rates alone are not sufficiently accurate for assessing tissue fibrosis, and elastic fibers, although correlated with fibrosis, have been underutilized due to their smaller quantity and slower accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A pathological diagnosis assisting apparatus and method that utilizes both collagenous and elastic fiber occupancy rates, along with the quantity of elastic fibers in fibrous septa, to improve the accuracy of fibrosis staging and provide a new index for determining the generation time of fibrotic tissue, using image processing techniques to classify and calculate these rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only collagenous fiber area occupancy rate is used for fibrosis assessment, then the assessment method is simple, but the diagnostic accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fiber type assessments (collagenous fiber, elastic fiber, and reticular fiber occupancy rates) into a single integrated diagnostic system. By merging these different fiber indicators and analyzing them together through image processing, the system achieves higher diagnostic accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through automated calculation and staging.
2Loss of information
If elastic fiber is used as an index for fibrosis assessment, then new information about tissue generation time is obtained, but the quantity of elastic fiber is small making it difficult to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses specialized staining techniques (such as orcein or Verhoeff staining) as intermediaries to enhance the visibility and detectability of elastic fibers. These staining methods act as mediators that amplify the signal from the small quantity of elastic fibers, enabling their detection and quantification through image processing despite their low concentration in the tissue.
3Reliability
If subjective classification by pathologist is used, then diagnosis can be made based on experience, but consistency and objectivity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the subjective mechanical judgment process of pathologists with an automated image processing system. The system uses computer-based image analysis to objectively quantify fiber occupancy rates and automatically determine fibrosis stages, eliminating variability between different pathologists while maintaining ease of use through automated workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
A pathological diagnosis assisting apparatus according to the present invention provides the diagnosis assisting information for assisting diagnosis of tissue fibrosis from the image of the stained sample, and includes an image reading unit configured to read the image of the stained sample and an image processing unit configured to process the image. The image processing unit includes an image classification unit configured to classify the collagenous fiber and the elastic fiber, a tissue area extraction unit configured to extract a tissue area, an occupancy rate calculation unit configured to calculate the occupancy rates of the collagenous fiber and the elastic fiber in the tissue area, and a diagnosis assisting information providing unit configured to provide the diagnosis assisting information based on the calculated occupancy rates of the collagenous fiber and the elastic fiber.