High performance pathology workstation using an automated multispectral microscope

Modern evaluation of cytological and histological specimens utilizes multispectral microscopic observation of transmissively illuminated fields as well as fluorescence images to analyze specimens treated with cytochemical probes. A user-friendly, interactive, multispectral image-processing capability is, therefore, required to accommodate the needs of the practicing cytologist. This paper describes a system design for a high-speed, microscopic, multispectral image analysis that provides a natural user-friendly environment for the cytologist. The speed limitations of conventional image processors are overcome by employing multiple processors in a high-speed, highly parallel-pipelined architecture. Preliminary results obtained using a prototype system for interactive ploidy determination will be presented. Software now under development will address a broad range of quantitative cytology problems utilizing the system's capability to measure a wide variety of cytomorphic properties in apparent real time.