Estimation of sampling errors in a high-resolution TV microscope image-processing system.

The basic postulate of this paper is that the commonly accepted sampling density of 2-4 pixels/micron in a high-resolution TV microscope system is too low to digitize exactly and analyze the complex cellular detail found in stained cell images. Depending on the specific microscope system, the required sampling density is much higher, lying between 15 and 30 pixels/micron. This sampling density is derived from the aliasing error, the resolution loss, and computational limitations. The mathematical and optical methods and equipment used to obtain these results are described in detail.