Quantification of human sperm morphology and motility by means of semi-automatic image analysis systems

Sperm morphology and motility are determined using a semi-automatic image analysis system under opto-manual control. The system consists of a microscope equipped with a drawing-tube, a digitizer-tablet, and a cursor interfaced to a small microcomputer. A light-emitting diode is mounted on the cursor, visible as a bright red pilot-light in the microscopic field. Sperm head and midpiece as well as the pathway of motile spermatozoa are traced with the cursor's red pilot light. The microcomputer calculates area, circumference, and length simultaneously. Motility and sperm density are determined altogether using microchamber technique. In a selected group of male subjects with normal, doubtful, and pathological semen analyses biometrical analyses of sperm morphology and motility were performed. Sperm morphology is best described by the variation of the head size and by the average midpiece width. Motility is best described by % motile spermatozoa and mean velocity determined 1 hour after semen collection. Biometrical semen analyses are superior to subjective evaluations regarding degree of information, objectivity, and reproducibility.