Method for automated processing of digital images of tissue micro-arrays (TMA)

A method for automated processing of digital images of tissue micro-arrays (TMA), comprising:

• differentiating a plurality of objects of interest from a background portion of a digital image of a tissue micro-array (TMA) of a tissue sample to which a chemical compound has been applied by adjusting a contrast of the digital image to create a contrast adjusted digital image;
• identifying a plurality of boundaries for a plurality of TMA cores in the differentiated plurality of objects of interest in the contrast adjusted digital image based on a plurality of predetermined factors;
• displaying the contrast adjusted digital image with the plurality of TMA core boundaries graphically displayed on a graphical user interface;
• and creating a medical conclusion using the plurality of TMA cores having the identified boundaries in the contrast adjusted digital image;
• wherein the identifying step includes:
• locating a plurality of centers of the plurality of differentiated objects of interest in the contrast adjusted digital image;
• applying a digital filter to the located plurality of centers of the plurality of differentiated objects in the contrasted adjusted digital image to remove unwanted objects;
• expanding a plurality of areas of interest around the filtered plurality of centers of the plurality objects in the contrasted adjusted digital image;
• determining overlapping objects, if any, from the expanded plurality of areas of interest in the contrast adjusted digital image;
• and determining a plurality of boundaries around the expanded plurality areas of interest in the contrast adjusted digital image to determine a plurality of boundaries of TMA cores;
• wherein the predetermined factors include pixel intensity of potential TMA cores and wherein pixels with an intensity value less than a combined value of a mean intensity value and a standard deviation value of an area of interest are selected as pixels belonging to the area of interest.