Simplified method of hepatic fibrosis quantification: design of a new morphometric analysis application.

Introduction: Semiquantitative evaluation of liver specimens is considered the standard method for measuring fibrosis; however, these systems lack the precision of a quantitative technique.

Methods: We developed an image analysis application (FibroXact) that automates and simplifies color segmentation. Trichrome slides were scanned and the program was used to evaluate each pixel based upon hue, lightness, and saturation values.

Abdominal computed tomography prolongs length of stay and is frequently unnecessary in the evaluation of acute pancreatitis.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) can play a vital role in the diagnosis and staging of patients with acute pancreatitis. However, according to current guidelines, a CT examination should not be performed in all patients. We assessed the use of CT scanning in the evaluation of patients with acute pancreatitis at an urban teaching hospital.