Quantitative methods in diagnostic gynaecological pathology

In gynaecological pathology it is often useful to analyse the histological pattern quantitatively. To enable the results to be generally useful certain criteria should be fulfilled--the observations should be reproducible by other pathologists in a consistent manner and should be able to be validated. Some methods of assessing the relevant features of a section, such as pattern grading, are very subjective and do not readily conform to these criteria. Mitosis counting is perhaps somewhat more objective than pattern grading but there is considerable overlap in the counts as one moves along the clinical grade, say from benign to malignant, making it necessary to analyse other features in parallel. Using stereological methods of pattern analysis, many features of the histological pictures can be analysed simultaneously with a high degree of objectivity and accuracy. Significant features of the pattern can then be identified by discriminant multivariate analysis.