Fertilization test method and apparatus

摘要

From a sample image, a fertilization test method determines the ratio of fertilized cells in the image by identifying cells in the image and calculating cell properties for each cell. An area is determined between a cell body and an outer search limit to search for a fertilization membrane. A cell outline is defined for each cell and cell membrane edges are found within the search area by changing the cell outline size between the cell body boundary the outer search limit, checking for a match with detected cell membrane edges. A cell is determined to be fertilized based on matches between detected cell membrane edges and the cell outline, patterns of contrast changes indicated by a cell membrane, or circles fit to cell membrane edges.

主权项

1. A fertilization test method comprising:
inputting a sample image to a processor, the sample image having a plurality of pixels and an image border; the processor detecting contours in the sample image; the processor identifying one or more cells in the sample image based on the detected contours in the sample image; the processor calculating at least one cell property for each of the one or more cells identified in the sample image, the at least one property selected from the group consisting of a cell body area, a cell body radius, a cell body diameter, a major diameter of an ellipse inscribing the cell body, a minor diameter of an ellipse inscribing the cell body, a major axis of a parabola inscribing the cell body, a minor axis of a parabola inscribing the cell body, coordinates of a cell location, coordinates of a cell body centroid, coordinates of a cell body boundary; a bounding box enclosing the cell, and a bounding box enclosing the cell and cell membrane, the processor defining an outer search limit selected from the group consisting of (i) a bounding box within the image border and enclosing one of the one or more cell bodies based on the calculated at least one cell property, (ii) a bounding region within the image border, and (iii) the image border; the processor determining a search area outside of a cell body and within the outer search limit to search for cell membrane edges; the processor defining a cell outline having a cell outline size, the cell outline selected from the group consisting of (i) a cell hull based on the cell body boundary, (ii) the cell body boundary, and (iii) a plurality of points making up the cell body boundary; the processor finding at least one cell membrane edge in the search area by adjusting the cell outline size between the cell body boundary and the outer search limit and checking for matches between the cell outline and the detected cell membrane edges; the processor determining whether a cell is fertilized based on matches selected from the group consisting of (i) matches between the cell outline and the detected cell membrane edges, wherein a cell is determined to be fertilized when the cell has a first membrane edge radially spaced from a second membrane edge and wherein the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge each match detected edges in the sample image to at least the extent of a match threshold value, (ii) an alternating pattern on a first cell radial line segment and an alternating pattern on a second cell radial line segment, wherein the cell is determined to be fertilized when the alternating pattern on the first cell radial line segment matches the alternating pattern on the second cell radial line segment each alternating pattern indicates a region radially between the cell body boundary and a first cell membrane edge, a first cell membrane edge, a region radially between the first cell membrane edge and a second cell membrane edge, the second cell membrane edge, and a region radially beyond the second cell membrane edge, and (iii) circles fit to match each of a first membrane edge and a second membrane edge; and the processor calculating a ratio of fertilized cells in the sample image; wherein the method is for measuring the contaminant level in a water sample.