[Neutrophil motility in patients with early infection (rapid analysis using automatic image processing system,...

The authors studied the dependence of blood neutrophil motility on the physical state of patients with infected wounds. Neutrophil motility was recorded and analyzed with the help of Magiscan-2a system of automatic image processing. A special software was developed for monitoring the movement of cells and measuring their displacements. Motility of each separate cell and a mean motility of the neutrophil population were determined on the glass in the microscope field (512 x 512 microns). Velocity of each neutrophil was shown to be nonuniform but approximately constant. Cell velocities in each probe were distributed in a continuous manner. Mean velocity of neutrophils in the probe was a stable index of the population motility. Decrease in neutrophil motility in the blood of patients with infected wounds was probably due to the adverse effect of serum factors. The application of the system of image processing makes it possible to carry out express analysis of neutrophil motility to estimate the efficiency of medical treatment.