Histopathologic patterns of nervous system tumors based on computer vision methods and whole slide imaging (WSI).

Background: Making an automatic diagnosis based on virtual slides and whole slide imaging or even determining whether a case belongs to a single class, representing a specific disease, is a big challenge. In this work we focus on WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System. We try to design a method which allows to automatically distinguish virtual slides which contain histopathologic patterns characteristic of glioblastoma--pseudopalisading necrosis and discriminate cases with neurinoma (schwannoma), which contain similar structures--palisading (Verocay bodies).

Methods: Our method is based on computer vision approaches like structural analysis and shape descriptors. We start with image segmentation in a virtual slide, find specific patterns and use a set of features which can describe pseudopalisading necrosis and distinguish it from palisades. Type of structures found in a slide decides about its classification.

Results: Described method is tested on a set of 49 virtual slides, captured using robotic microscope. Results show that 82% of glioblastoma cases and 90% of neurinoma cases were correctly identified by the proposed algorithm.

Conclusion: Our method is a promising approach to automatic detection of nervous system tumors using virtual slides.