[Measurement of nucleolar organizers (AgNOR) using the LUCIA-M color image analysis system].

Argyrophil Nucleolar Organizer Regions (AgNORs) reflect the ploidy and proliferative activity of cells. In a Czech made system of image analysis LUCIA-M (Laboratory Universal Computer Image Analysis-Medium version) we have created a macro for AgNORs evaluation. The process includes picture contrasting and processing, thresholding of nuclei and AgNORs, elimination of artifacts through restrictions and interactive editation. The relation of nuclei to AgNORs is realized using binary operations. The number of dots in a nucleus is counted using advanced morphology-homotopic marking. The object data (nuclear area, absolute and relative AgNOR area, mean equal diameter of nuclei, circularity) may be processed either in the system LUCIA itself or exporting the data into another statistic program, e.g. EXCEL. The choice of the most informative features measured for diagnostics and prognostics of tumours is a task for subsequent clinico-morphologic studies.