Fixation induced variations in quantitative nuclear image features in sections

Recently quantitative nuclear image features (Q.N.I. features) have become available which have proven to be accurate descriptors of different chromatin patterns. Therefore it can be expected that these features will become increasingly important in diagnostic histopathology. However, if used for routine applications in human pathology, it is to be questioned to which extent Q.N.I. features are able to discriminate between subpopulations of nuclei and to which extent fixation induced variations on Q.N.I. features do exist. In the present study, the discriminating capacity of the Q.N.I. features on the basal and parabasal cell nuclei of human cervical epithelium is investigated. Fixation is varied in concentration, temperature, and time. The results emphasize the excellent discriminating power of the Q.N.I. features and indicate that if a) the concentration is kept between 4 and 6% w/v, b) the temperature of the fixative is room temperature, and c) the fixation time is kept constant at 24 or 36 h, the Q.N.I. features can well be used in histopathology.