Reproducibility in Nerve Morphometry: Comparison between Methods and among Observers

Author(s)

da Costa Bilego Neto, Antonio Paulo ; Cassiano Silveira, Fernando Braga ; Rodrigues da Silva, Greice Anne ; Sanada, Luciana Sayuri ; Sassoli Fazan, Valeria Paula

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL; v. 2013, p. 7-pg., 2013-01-01.

Abstract

We investigated the reproducibility of a semiautomated method (computerized with manual intervention) for nerve morphometry (counting and measuring myelinated fibers) between three observers with different levels of expertise and experience with the method. Comparisons between automatic (fully computerized) and semiautomated morphometric methods performed by the same computer software using the same nerve images were also performed. Sural nerves of normal adult rats were used. Automatic and semiautomated morphometry of the myelinated fibers were made through the computer software KS-400. Semiautomated morphometry was conducted by three independent observers on the same images, using the semiautomated method. Automatic morphometry overestimated the myelin sheath area, thus overestimating the myelinated fiber size and underestimating the axon size. Fiber distributions overestimation was of 0.5 mu m. For the semiautomated morphometry, no differences were found between observers for myelinated fiber and axon size distributions. Overestimation of the myelin sheath size of normal fibers by the fully automatic method might have an impact when morphometry is used for diagnostic purposes. We suggest that not only semiautomated morphometry results can be compared between different centers in clinical trials but it can also be performed by more than one investigator in one single experiment, being a reliable and reproducible method. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/12518-6 - Morphologic evaluation and comparison between types of muscle fibers of the lateral and medial gastrocnemius and flexor halucis longus after painful stimulation in the neonatal period
• Grantee: Valéria Paula Sassoli Fazan
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 09/50389-6 - Cardiovascular regulation under physiological pathophysiological conditions
• Grantee: Helio Cesar Salgado
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants