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Aim: To examine and estimate cytomorphometric changes by using parameters such as cell area (CA), nuclear area (NA), cell diameter (CD), nuclear diameter (ND), and nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio (N/C) in exfoliated buccal mucosal cells in smokers, patients with hypertension, and healthy individuals by using Papanicolaou stain. Materials and Methods: This quantitative analysis was performed on totally 120 individuals who were randomly selected and were divided into four groups. Group 1: 30 healthy individuals free of hypertension and without any smoking habit comprised the control group; Group 2: 30 individuals with smoking habit and without hypertension; Group 3: 30 individuals with smoking habit and with hypertension; and group 4: 30 individuals with hypertension and without smoking habit. Buccal smears were taken and stained by Papanicolaou stain. Image analysis of 50 cells was done at 40× magnification with a digital image capture analysis software system (ProgRes capture pro, version 2.8.8). The obtained parameters were statistically compared among the groups by one-way ANOVA test and Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: Statistically significant increase in NA, ND, and N/C ratio values were found in smokers and smokers with hypertension, and minimal change was observed in patients with hypertension alone when compared with normal mucosa. Conclusion: Smoking habit alone and patients with hypertension along with smoking habit show significant cytomorphometric changes. The combined use of exfoliative cytology and cytomorphometric analysis gives an added advantage in monitoring clinically suspect lesions and early detection of malignancy in high-risk individuals such as smokers.

Introduction The human cochlear nucleus (CN) is populated by morphologically diverse types of neurons that contribute specifically in the formation of the complex functional networks in the auditory pathway. On the basis of cytoarchitecture and topography different types of neurons can be identified in the CN. The present study was undertaken to investigate the morphological parameters of neurons and glia of the human CN with aging. Methods Forty-one brainstems (Birth-90 years) from cadaveric donors were collected from the mortuary of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, with ethical committee permission. They were grouped into nine decades and processed for light microscopy and morphometry. Hierarchical clustering was done to classify the neuron population according to their neuronal and nuclear area into different clusters. Results There was a gradual increase in the mean neuronal and neuronal nucleus volume from decade 1 to 3. Decade 1 had minimum and 3 had maximum nuclear volume and neuron number respectively. An increase in total glial population was observed in decade 9. Eight neuron clusters were identified which were present in the decades 2 and 3 whereas decades 1 and 4 had seven, decades 5–8 had six and decade 9 had four clusters respectively. Discussion Major changes were observed within the clusters from middle to old age, especially after decade 5. This may be useful in explaining the vulnerability of some specific subpopulation of neurons more than others and understanding the pathophysiology of altered hearing loss with age.

Background/aim Colorectal cancer is the seventh most common cancer in Egypt, constituting 3.47% of male cancers and 3% of female cancers. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of cytochrome C oxidase (CcO) as well as the nuclear morphometric measurements in colonic adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Materials and methods Sixty cases of colonic biopsies/specimens were involved in this study. The samples were received in the Department of Pathology of Kasr El-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt, and they were divided into three groups: 20 cases of normal control, 20 cases of colonic adenoma, and 20 cases of colonic adenocarcinoma. The expression of CcO was studied by immunohistochemistry in 60 formalin-fixed paraffin blocks. Nuclear morphometric parameters were evaluated using an image analysis system. The area percentage of the marker expression was correlated with nuclear morphometric parameters. Results Immunohistochemical study showed that 65% of control biopsies showed a significant difference with colonic adenocarcinoma cases in contrast and adenoma cases showed a nonsignificant difference with normal control biopsies. Mean areas percentages of CcO expression were significantly different between all three studied groups. The means of nuclear area, length, and perimeter showed a significant difference while means nuclear width and roundness showed a nonsignificant difference between all three studied groups. There was significant correlation between mean area percentage of CcO expression with mean nuclear area and perimeter in control, adenoma, and adenocarcinoma cases. Conclusion CcO protein is significantly expressed in the cytoplasm of normal colonic mucosa. It was significantly deficient in colonic adenocarcinoma. Nuclear morphometry can be introduced as a useful morphologic feature of patients with variable colonic lesions specially in combination with CcO.

Background: Breast cancer has emerged as a leading site of cancer among women in India. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been routinely applied in assessment of breast lesions. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is subjective with a "gray zone" of 6.9-20%. Quantitative evaluation of nuclear size, shape, texture, and density parameters by morphometry can be of diagnostic help in breast tumor. Aims: To apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates and assess its role in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions with derivation of suitable cut-off values between the two groups. Settings and Designs: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study of nuclear morphometric parameters of benign and malignant cases. Materials and Methods: The study included 50 benign breast disease (BBD), 8 atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and 64 carcinoma cases. Image analysis was performed on Papanicolaou-stained FNAC slides by Nikon Imaging Software (NIS)-Elements Advanced Research software (Version 4.00). Nuclear morphometric parameters analyzed included 5 nuclear size, 2 shape, 4 texture, and 2 density parameters. Results: Nuclear morphometry could differentiate between benign and malignant aspirates with a gradually increasing nuclear size parameters from BBD to ADH to carcinoma. Cut-off values of 31.93 μm2, 6.325 μm, 5.865 μm, 7.855 μm, and 21.55 μm for mean nuclear area, equivalent diameter, minimum feret, maximum ferret, and perimeter, respectively, were derived between benign and malignant cases, which could correctly classify 7 out of 8 ADH cases. Conclusion: Nuclear morphometry is a highly objective tool that could be used to supplement FNAC in differentiating benign from malignant lesions, with an important role in cases with diagnostic dilemma.

Context: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant neoplasm of epithelial tissue origin. OSCC is traditionally graded into well, moderate and poorly differentiated. The assessment of cellular and nuclear features is very important in the histological grading of OSCC. Aims: To establish morphometric study as an important prognostic indicator of OSCC. Settings and Design: The present study is undertaken for computer-assisted morphometric evaluation of the following parameters: changes in cell perimeter, nuclear perimeter (NP), cell area (CA), nuclear area (NA) and nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio (N:C) in twenty cases of OSCC and ten cases of normal oral mucosa. Subjects and Methods: The hematoxylin- and eosin-stained sections were observed under microscope for dysplastic features. For morphometric analysis, images were captured with a 2MP camera attached to a NLCD 307 microscope (Lawrence and Mayo India Pvt., Ltd.,) with a ×40 objective used for morphometric analysis. The images were classified, transferred and stored in the computer for image analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: One-way analysis of variance is used for comparing the parameter for multiple groups followed by Mann-Whitney U-test for pair-wise comparisons. Results: Highly significant difference was seen between cases and controls with respect to CA, NP and NA. Highly significant difference is seen in N:C ratio between the means of cases and control groups. Conclusions: Techniques of image analysis offer an opportunity to quantify the nuclear and cell changes associated with malignancy and provide an objective basis for grading dysplasia and tumors.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of freezing–thawing on the human sperm head vacuoles and the potential value of motile sperm organelle morphology examination for selection of frozen-thaw spermatozoa.Methods: In 30 sperm samples from infertile men, analysis for conventional sperm parameters (motility, vitality, and normal morphology) and a morphological analysis at high magnification for vacuoles examination were done before cooling and after warming. For description of sperm head vacuoles, two hundred spermatozoa were examined and were classified into three groups according to presence and vacuole areas including no vacuole group (free of any vacuole), small vacuole group (occupy not more than 4% of the nuclear area), and large vacuole group (occupy more than 4% of the normal nuclear area).Results: Significant reduction of progressive motility and vitality was observed following cryopreservation (P

Aims: To determine the cellular and nuclear area of keratinocytes in smears obtained from the oral mucosa of tobacco users, those with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and from normal healthy persons and resolve if any significant difference exists in these three groups. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 100 subjects 20 controls, (40 OSCC patients-20 from lesional sites and 20 from nonlesional sites, 20 tobacco smokers and 20 tobacco chewers) in the age group of 25-75 years. Oral mucosal smears obtained by using a cytobrush were stained with Papanicolaou (PAP) stain and using 20X objective in trinocular Olympus model BX53 with Jenoptik scientific grade-dedicated microphotographic camera images were taken. With ProgRes version 8.0 image analysis software, 20 cells with defined borders were evaluated from each slide. Finally, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the above parameters in the studied groups. Statistical Analysis Used: Minitab and Excel software were used to analyze the data. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the above parameters in the studied groups. Results: The mean value of the cell area for groups I, II, III, IV, and V were 2838 ± 275.2, 2762.1 ± 511.4, 2861.9 ± 512.9, 2643.8 ± 333.3, and 3064.3 ± 362.7, respectively, the nuclear area (NA) was 83.88 ± 9.86, 106.19 ± 13.45, 95.11 ± 14.24, 85.55 ± 21.11, and 80.83 ± 13.45, respectively, and nuclear-to-cellular (N:C) ratio was 0.0297, 0.03924, 0.0337, 0.03257, and 0.02678, respectively. Conclusions: Thus, our study elucidates that cytomorphology gauges the effect of tobacco on the oral mucosa and possibly establishes a link between premalignant and malignant transformations even before a lesion is visibly noted.

Background: Alterations in nuclear structure are the indications of cancer diagnosis. This study has thus focused on variation in nuclear morphometry in breast lesions. Aim: The aim of the study is to compare morphometric characteristics of different types of breast lesions and evaluate its utility in differentiating benign against malignant. Study Design: Sixty fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of ethanol fixed samples were obtained and stained with Papanicolou stain. All diagnoses reported were confirmed histopathologically. Nuclear morphometric parameters for free cells in smears were calculated using the ImageJ 1.47 morphometric computer software. Result: The nuclear morphometric parameters including mean nuclear area, perimeter, diameter, long axis, and short axis were found to be statistically significant (ANOVA, P < 0.0001) in differentiating benign and malignant breast aspirates. Conclusion: Nuclear morphometry has been found to be a valuable objective method in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions, especially in the grey zones, when diagnostic dilemmas are encountered. This study results demonstrate that the size-related parameters (area, perimeter, diameter, long, and short axes) of the nucleus are the most appropriate nuclear morphometric parameters for differentiating between benign lesions and infiltrative ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Background: Breast carcinoma is one of the most common cancers occurring in the female population world-wide. Normal cells gradually transform to form the cancer cells through several stages. Nuclear changes occurring during these transformational steps need to be assessed objectively. Hence nuclear morphometry can be used as a diagnostic tool. Aim: To compare the nuclear morphometric parameters of benign and malignant breast aspirates. Study Design: Cytology was used to categorize aspirates from the breast lumps in to malignant (30 cases), and benign (30 cases). Nuclear parameters were calculated using the Image J 1.44C morphometric software. Several nuclear size parameters were analyzed. Results: The nuclear area, perimeter, diameter, compactness, and concave points were found to be statistically significant ( P < 0.05) parameters in differentiating benign, and malignant aspirates. Conclusion: Nuclear morphometry was thus, a useful objective tool in the differentiating benign, and malignant breast lesions.

Background and Objectives : Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common tobacco-related cancers affecting the Indian population. Various malignancy-grading systems based on different histopathological features have been proposed for OSCC. Due to inherent subjectivity, inter-observer variation and reproducibility of a grading system remains a problem. Grading systems based on nuclear morphometry have been proposed for laryngeal, renal and pharyngeal carcinomas. In this study, an attempt was made to grade oral OSCC based on computer-assisted microscopic evaluation of nuclear features. Our intention was also to evaluate the use of Feulgen stain for studying nuclear features. Materials and Methods: Sections made from buccal mucosa biopsies of normal mucosa as well as different grades OSCC were stained by Feulgen reaction. The nuclear features were evaluated by computer-assisted microscopic image analysis for nuclear area (NA), nuclear perimeter (NP) and nuclear form factor (NF) and correlated with histologic grading of OSCC. Nuclear shape, membrane outline, chromatin clumps, nucleoli, and abnormal mitoses were also evaluated. Results: NA and NP were observed to be significantly increased in OSCC (P < 0.001) when compared with the control group. These values increased in correlation with increasing grades of OSCC. However, NF was found to more in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: It may be concluded from the results that computer-assisted nuclear morphometry is a reliable tool for grading OSCC. A new grading system based on nuclear features for OSCC has been proposed.

Background : Breast carcinoma is the most common malignancy globally. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is largely subjective. Gradual progression of cells from normal to invasive involves nuclear changes that need to be viewed objectively. Aims : This study aims to apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates. It evaluates its utility in differentiating benign vs. malignant lesions and correlates it with cytologic grading in malignant cases. Setting and Design : Nuclear morphometric parameters of malignant and benign cases were compared. Parameters of malignant cases were correlated with cytologic grading. Materials and Methods : Cytology was used to categorize aspirates from breast lumps into malignant (53 cases) and benign (29 cases). One hundred cells per case in both groups were mapped on DEBEL Cytoscan and six geometrical and three textural parameters obtained were compared. In malignant cases, morphometry was correlated with Robinson′s cytologic grading, which was further correlated in tissue sections (45 cases) with modified Scarff-Bloom-Richardson histologic grading. Statistical Analysis : Students "t"-test was applied for comparison between benign and malignant cases. One-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni′s post hoc comparison was applied to compare the three cytologic grades. Results were considered significant when PResults : Nuclear morphometry successfully differentiated between benign and malignant aspirates and correlated significantly with cytologic grades. Morphometry was especially useful in the diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ. Useful parameters were mean nuclear area, long axis, short axis and total run length. Cytohistologic correlation was 83.3%, 88.9% and 88.9% for cytological grades 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Conclusions : Nuclear morphometry was thus a useful objective tool in the evaluation of breast masses.