[Image analysis on isolated colorectal tumor cells]

Image analysis of the nuclear morphology was performed on propidium iodide-stained isolated cells from 9 adenomas and 9 cancers of the colorectum. We analyzed DNA content, seven nuclear geometric features and four shape factors of tumor cells using an image cytometry system that has been developed in our laboratory. Nuclear breadth and the degree of contour irregularity of cancer cells were found to be significantly different from those of adenoma cells. The coefficients of variation (CV) of some nuclear features and the degree of contour irregularity were increased in cancer cells, while CV of the degree of circularity was increased in adenoma cells. Moreover, nuclear in G2 phase were found to be larger and more round than those in G1 phase. These results suggest that cell-cycle-related analysis of nuclear features would be a valid means to assess the nuclear morphology of colorectal tumors.