Approach to diagnostic image analysis of melanocytic tumors

Numerous attempts have been made to apply image analysis in dermatopathology. The technics used comprise measurement of nuclear size, shape, chromatin content, and texture, evaluation of immunohistological slides, assessment of proliferation, pattern analysis, and tumor volume estimation. For commonly accepted routine use, however, image analysis research has to be extended to large numbers of cases, using straightforward and reproducible measuring procedures, and to the development of ready-to-use equipment for specific tasks. In this way, image analysis in dermatopathology might supply useful diagnostic tools in addition to conventional microscopy, and may increase our understanding of morphology as a whole.