RAY-BASED IMAGE ANALYSIS FOR BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

摘要

Image acquisition and analysis systems and methods are provided. A ray-based approach may be used to process images for cell-based assays. Such cell-based assays may be used to evaluate drugs or other compounds or to perform other biological studies. A scanning laser microscope or other equipment may be used to gather image data from fluorescently-marked cells or other suitable specimens. The rays are radially-oriented with respect to the cell nuclei. Seed points within the nuclei may be identified. The rays may extend outward from the seed points or other suitable ray origins until the rays are terminated according to ray termination criteria. The intensity of the image data that is associated with each of the rays may be analyzed to generate various parameters. For example, a peak intensity of the image data along each ray may be identified. Statistical calculations may be performed.