This project aims to develop and commercialize significantly improved software for cell and chromosome boundary delineation. A new image analysis technique using active contours and Hough transform contour initialization will be developed and tested on FISH-labeled interphase cells and chromosomes. An active contour or snake, is a recently- developed segmentation technique which enables simultaneous solution of both boundary extraction and boundary tracking problems. The snake is a closed contour which reacts to forces from the image as well as to internal tension and rigidity constraints. A multi-dimensional Hough transform will be used to provide a starting point for the snake boundary which will then move to conform to the object boundary. The technique implemented will (l) yield significantly improved software for automatic cell segmentation/ deagglomeration to facilitate faster and more accurate dot counting in FISH-labeled cells, (2) yield significantly improved software for chromosome boundary delineation to improve automatic chromosome separation and increase the accuracy of automatic karyotyping and (3) yield a powerful interactive image analysis tool for enhancing a user's ability to segment complicated images. The ability of active contours to track the boundary of cells through different planes of focus will also be assessed. As soon as this technique is developed and qualified for routine automatic application, it can be incorporated into PSII's PowerGene DNA Probe System.
As soon as the analysis technique is developed and qualified for routine application, it will be incorporated into PSII's product line, both in new systems sold and as an upgrade to existing systems in the field.
