Morphological classification system and method

A method of classifying objects in a cytological specimen;

• comprising the steps of:
• a) obtaining a first digital representation of at least part of such cytological specimen;
• b) storing such first digital representation;
• c) performing a first filtering operation to filter out images in such representation that are the approximate size of a malignant or premalignant cell or smaller to produce a second digital representation;
• d) removing the images in such second representation from the images in such first representation to produce a third representation;
• e) performing a second filtering operation to filter out images in such first representation that are the approximate size of a premalignant or malignant cell or larger than the approximate size of premalignant or malignant cell to produce a fourth representation;
• and
• f) eliminating the images in such fourth representation from the images in such third representation to produce a representation having substantially only images the approximate size of a premalignant or malignant cell.

An apparatus for classifying objects in a cytological specimen, comprising:

• means for obtaining a first image of at least part of such cytological specimen;
• means for classifying objects in such first image on the basis of a predetermined criteria;
• means for selecting at least one object for display based on classification performed by said means for classifying:
• means for obtaining a second image of such cytological specimen containing said at least one selected object;
• and
• means for displaying at least part of such second image to produce a visual display of said at least one selected object.