Fundamental study of automatic cytoscreening for uterine cancer. IV. Sample requirements for CYBEST and simulation test of cell dispersion.

The preparation of samples with good cell dispersion and without cell overlapping is a particularly important problem, whether for image processing systems or for flow systems. Simulation tests were carried out to estimate a cell density with good cell dispersion and a minimum number of overlapping cells. A little less than 50 cells per mm2 was disclosed to show a condition of sufficient cell dispersion. By microscopical observation and counting of the malignant cells using ten cases of uterine cervical carcinoma, it was found that in most instances over 50 malignant cells were contained in 20,000 to 40,000 cells on the smears. When the cell density is approximately 50 per mm2, the scanning area of the CYBEST of 40 X 20 mm may contain up to 40,000 cells. The probability that such a number of cells contains malignant cells is extremely high, in fact, nearly 100 per cent. By field tests, it was experimentally confirmed that these cell densities are very adequate for the function of the CYBEST.