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Histomorphometry of the Ligaments Using a Generic-Purpose Image Processing Software, a New Strategy for Semi-Automatized Measurements

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Abstract

Gold chloride technique can be combined with Adobe Photoshop® software to yield a quantitative assessment of the different areas in heterogeneous structures as are ligament. A semi-automatized method based on the sum of two- and three-dimensional morphological criteria upon colorimetric criteria allows the identification and measurement of the area occupied by a structure of interest. It also allows the quantification of color intensity to differentiate structures with similar staining avidity, like vessels and nerves. This computer-assisted, semiquantitative procedure for computerized morphometry is relatively simple to perform. The accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of this method based on a commercially available imaging program were considered adequate when tested on the anterior cruciate ligament of the cat. Image normalization by trained observers using a commercially available software package designed for photography, applied to a sample randomly chosen, has provided the means of making reproducible measurements of heterogeneous structures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Universitary Hospital of Fuenlabrada, Camino del Molino 2, Fuenlabrada, 28942, Madrid, Spain

    Rafael Ballesteros & Javier García-Lázaro

  2. Department of Orthopedics, Hospital Infanta Sofía, Paseo de Europa 34, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702, Madrid, Spain

    Nuria Bonsfills

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Capio Hospital Sur, Estambul 30, Alcorcón, 28922, Madrid, Spain

    Marta Chacón

  4. Department of Orthopedics, Hospital La Paz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Paseo de la Castellana, 261, 28046, Madrid, Spain

    Enrique Gómez-Barrena

Authors
  1. Rafael Ballesteros
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  2. Nuria Bonsfills
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  3. Marta Chacón
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  4. Javier García-Lázaro
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  5. Enrique Gómez-Barrena
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Correspondence to Rafael Ballesteros.

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Ballesteros, R., Bonsfills, N., Chacón, M. et al. Histomorphometry of the Ligaments Using a Generic-Purpose Image Processing Software, a New Strategy for Semi-Automatized Measurements. J Digit Imaging 25, 527–536 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-011-9440-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-011-9440-8

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