A semi-automated method for unbiased alveolar morphometry: Validation in a bronchopulmonary dysplasia model

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 23;15(9):e0239562. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239562. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Reproducible and unbiased methods to quantify alveolar structure are important for research on many lung diseases. However, manually estimating alveolar structure through stereology is time consuming and inter-observer variability is high. The objective of this work was to develop and validate a fast, reproducible and accurate (semi-)automatic alternative. A FIJI-macro was designed that automatically segments lung images to binary masks, and counts the number of test points falling on tissue and the number of intersections of the air-tissue interface with a set of test lines. Manual selection remains necessary for the recognition of non-parenchymal tissue and alveolar exudates. Volume density of alveolar septa ([Formula: see text]) and mean linear intercept of the airspaces (Lm) as measured by the macro were compared to theoretical values for 11 artificial test images and to manually counted values for 17 lungs slides using linear regression and Bland-Altman plots. Inter-observer agreement between 3 observers, measuring 8 lungs both manually and automatically, was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). [Formula: see text] and Lm measured by the macro closely approached theoretical values for artificial test images (R2 of 0.9750 and 0.9573 and bias of 0.34% and 8.7%). The macro data in lungs were slightly higher for [Formula: see text] and slightly lower for Lm in comparison to manually counted values (R2 of 0.8262 and 0.8288 and bias of -6.0% and 12.1%). Visually, semi-automatic segmentation was accurate. Most importantly, manually counted [Formula: see text] and Lm had only moderate to good inter-observer agreement (ICC 0.859 and 0.643), but agreements were excellent for semi-automatically counted values (ICC 0.956 and 0.900). This semi-automatic method provides accurate and highly reproducible alveolar morphometry results. Future efforts should focus on refining methods for automatic detection of non-parenchymal tissue or exudates, and for assessment of lung structure on 3D reconstructions of lungs scanned with microCT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / diagnostic imaging
  • Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Histological Techniques / statistics & numerical data
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Observer Variation
  • Pregnancy
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / pathology*
  • Rabbits
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • X-Ray Microtomography / statistics & numerical data

Grants and funding

KA and TS are supported by the SAFEPEDRUG project (funded by the agency for innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders IWT SBO 130033). JT is supported by a C2 grant from KU Leuven (C24/18/101) and a research grant from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO G0C4419N). AG is supported by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission (2013–0040). BT is holder of an FWO-SB fellowship (Research Foundation Flanders, 1153220N). YR is holder of an FWO-SB fellowship (Research Foundation - Flanders, 1S71619N). JD is funded by the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. The funding bodies had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. www.safepedrug.euwww.ewi-vlaanderen.bewww.fwo.bewww.gosh.orgwww.kuleuven.be/english/research/support/if.