Heathfield H A, Kirkham N, Ellis I O, Winstanley G
Information Technology Research Institute, Brighton Polytechnic, England.
J Clin Pathol. 1990 Feb;43(2):168-70. doi: 10.1136/jcp.43.2.168.
The development of the National Breast Screening Programme has created a demand for the widespread availability of fine needle aspiration cytology services. To meet this demand there must be a rapid increase in the number of pathologists and laboratories able to offer this service. In turn there is a need for improved training methods. The technique of fine needle aspiration cytology is not inherently complicated. The number of possible conclusions is essentially limited to four: unsatisfactory, benign, suspicious and malignant. A computer based expert system, designed to assist pathologists in the diagnosis of fine needle aspirates of the breast, has been developed. The system prompts pathologists to categorize a number of variables in the aspirate including nuclear and cytoplasmic features, and the degree of cellular cohesion, and uses these data to reason about possible conclusions. The final diagnosis is displayed with a detailed explanation listing the factors supporting it. Initial trials with this system have been encouraging and it is envisaged that this system will be of value both in training and as an aid to routine diagnosis.
国家乳腺筛查计划的开展使得对广泛提供细针穿刺细胞学服务产生了需求。为满足这一需求，能够提供此项服务的病理学家和实验室数量必须迅速增加。相应地，就需要改进培训方法。细针穿刺细胞学技术本身并不复杂。可能得出的结论基本上限于四种：不满意、良性、可疑和恶性。现已开发出一个基于计算机的专家系统，旨在协助病理学家诊断乳腺细针穿刺物。该系统促使病理学家对穿刺物中的一些变量进行分类，包括细胞核和细胞质特征以及细胞黏附程度，并利用这些数据推断可能的结论。最终诊断结果会附带一份详细解释，列出支持该诊断的因素。对该系统的初步试验令人鼓舞，预计该系统在培训以及辅助常规诊断方面都将具有价值。
