BANDSCAN--a computer program for on-line linear scanning of human banded chromosomes

BANDSCAN, an interactive program for on-line linear scanning of human G-banded chromosomes quantitative analysis is described. This program was written for a Wang 720 C programmable desk calculator associated to the Zeiss scanning photometer MP01. The system can detect up to a maximum of 24 densitometric band peaks found along banded chromosome arms or chromatids, estimate the total arm length and localize bands in terms of their relative positions. The scanning stage under control is always returned to the pre-fixed scanning starting point (centromere) which allows a user to scan the specimen repeatedly at different sensitivities and thus to reject minor bands or suspected chromosome artifacts. This facilitates a better visualization of major bands and chromosome landmarks. A fully formated print-out on band localizations and their relative positions is obtained at the end of each scanning. The possibilities of the application of this program to band mapping of human chromosomes and to the study of small chromosome band aberrations is discussed.