An image analysis workstation designed for multiple users: application of quantitative digital imaging techniques to electron microscopy.

The purpose of the present study is to describe the setup of an image analysis workstation designed for multiple users, and to show the application of digital imaging techniques to the analysis of electron microscopic images. The image analysis system consists of a conventional light microscope mounted on a table-top, vibration-free platform, a light box for viewing negatives, two separate video cameras, a switch box, a video monitor, a digitizing tablet, a computer, and morphometric software packages. The system can quantitate the amount that each of the 256 gray levels contributes to the image, perform morphometric analysis (eg, shape and size) on individual gray level-defined subimages, and perform statistical analysis. Each operator has access to his or her own data and program setups through the use of 21.4-Mb removable Bernoulli cartridges. This setup for multiple users prevents the cluttering of the hard drive of the computer and avoids the possibility of accidentally removing the stored data of another user. The quantitative capabilities of the digital imaging system is demonstrated using an image of a normal lymphocyte and an apoptotic cell (ie, a cell which has undergone programmed cell death), both captured on the same electron microscopic negative. A comparison of the histograms of nuclear densities determined for these two cells reveals subtleties in gray level distribution not appreciated by the naked eye.