A computer method for scanning and analysis of dot blots.

A system is described for computer analysis of autoradiograms produced from dot blots. The autoradiograms are first digitized on a rotating drum densitometer. The system automatically locates, integrates, and corrects the intensity of each spot for background. A linear range of exposures for each series of dilutions on the dot blot is calculated, and the amount of specific RNA is reported relative to other samples or to an internal standard. Without operator intervention, the system can directly scan and analyze all possible spots produced by the commercial filtration devices which use the geometry of a 96-well microtiter plate.