Image cytometry detection of breast cancer cells with > 5C DNA content and minor DNA stemlines.

Objective: To determine if the presence of cells having a DNA content > 5c and occurring at very low frequency is related to breast cancer outcome.

Study Design: Feulgen-stained imprints of fresh tumors used for routine standard DNA image cytometry were reanalyzed, with the aim of detecting hyperploid (> 5c) cells or minor stemlines. Specially adapted software was used.

Determination of reliable histological features associated with early triploidy using DNA image cytometry.

In order to determine reliable histological features characterizing triploidy, the following features were examined and graded by three pathologists on 46 early abortion specimens: hydropic swelling of the villi, cisterns, villous scalloping, trophoblastic hyperplasia with syncytial vacuolization, single cytotrophoblastic cells in villous stroma, trophoblastic inclusions, microcalcifications and fibrosis. At the same time, the DNA content of the 46 specimens was quantified cytophotometrically using the CAS 200 image analyzer, in order to confirm or not the diagnosis of triploidy. Triploidy was confirmed in 45.

[Quantification of DNA using image analysis on paraffin sections].

With the new softwares that are available, it is now possible to measure the cellular DNA content on Feulgen stained paraffin sections, without enzymatic dissociation of the samples. The main advantage of this technique is to preserve the cellular histological context and to select the right cells that have to be analyzed. The application is of course to obtain information about cancer prognosis, but it can also be very useful in non tumoral pathology.

Discrepancies of DNA content of various solid tumours before and after culture measured by image analysis. Comparison of cytogenetical data.

Parallel cytophotometric ploidy studies and cytogenetic analysis were performed on 15 various human solid tumours. The quantification of DNA by image analysis was carried out on cytological imprints of fresh tumours and on smears obtained after cell culture. The results obtained by both sets of calculations were compared with each other and with the cytogenetic results.

Spontaneous abortions during the second trimester of gestation.

To determine the factors causing spontaneous abortions, 422 consecutive second-trimester abortions and the corresponding clinical data were studied prospectively. All of the fetuses and placentas were referred to a single pathologist and microbiological cultures were carried out in 205 of these cases. One hundred twenty-one medically included abortions were used as controls for the interpretation of the investigations relating to infection.