Computer analysis of chromatin arrangement and nuclear texture in follicular thyroid tumours.

The differentiation of the thyroid glands follicular neoplasias into adenomas and carcinomas is currently done using the histological criteria recommended by WHO. This pilot study of 10 human follicular carcinomas and 10 folliculars adenomas demonstrates the possibility of a cytological classification using digital picture processing of high resolution cell images. Giemsa stained paraplast sections were scanned with a Colour-TV-camera, different channels were used with respect to staining and analyzing methods and computed with an image processing system. The computer aided cytophotometric methods detected significant differences in the chromatin arrangement and structure.