The value of morphometry in prediction of survival in oligodendrogliomas

Nineteen out of 31 cases of well-differentiated oligodendrogliomas were selected on the basis of clinical and morphological parameters. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the length of the survival period. In each case 8 clinical, 4 morphological and 3 morphometrical parameters were scored. The quantitative analysis of nuclei of oligodendroglioma cells, performed by means of an automated microscopic picture analyzer (Leitz-TAS), allowed the nuclear area, perimeter and roundness factor of 200 nuclei to be calculated for each case. Twenty-eight additional features were derived from the data obtained. The descriptive statistical analysis, based on Student's t-test and Chi-square test showed significant differences (p less than 0.05) with regard to the SD of the 10 largest values of the nuclear perimeter among the derived quantitative parameters. Among the clinical parameters, the increased intracranial pressure as a late complication was also significant. Multivariate analysis, based on Bayes theorem, allowed 89% of the cases to be allocated to the actual groups by means of 6 clinical parameters, 57% by means of 4 morphological parameters and 100% by means of a set of 3 morphometrical parameters. The morphometric data proved to be better discriminants than clinical and subjectively evaluated morphological parameters in low grade oligodendrogliomas.