Cell image analysis apparatus, cell image analysis method, and program

A cell image analysis method of a cell image analysis apparatus for analyzing a cell in which a fragmented cell nucleus is generated inside the cell nucleus due to apoptosis, wherein the cell image analysis apparatus includes a threshold value storage unit comprising a memory which stores, in advance, (i) a cell nucleus threshold value, (ii) a fragmented cell nucleus threshold value, and (iii) a cell nucleus area threshold value, and a processor which is operable as a cell nucleus region extraction unit and a fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit, wherein the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value is larger than the cell nucleus threshold value, and wherein the method comprises:

• inputting a cell image captured by a microscope from a cell stained with a fluorescent substance to the cell image analysis apparatus;
• extracting, using the cell nucleus region extraction unit, from the input cell image, a region having an area equal to or larger than the cell nucleus area threshold value from among regions having a luminance value equal to or larger than the cell nucleus threshold value as a cell nucleus region;
• and
• extracting, using the fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a fragmented cell nucleus region.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored thereon, wherein the program controls a processor of a cell image analysis apparatus to analyze a cell in which a fragmented cell nucleus is generated inside the cell nucleus due to apoptosis, the cell image analysis apparatus including a threshold value storage unit comprising a memory which stores, in advance, (i) a cell nucleus threshold value, (ii) a fragmented cell nucleus threshold value, and (iii) a cell nucleus area threshold value, wherein the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value is larger than the cell nucleus threshold value, and wherein the program controls the computer to execute functions comprising:

• inputting a cell image captured by a microscope from a cell stained with a fluorescent substance;
• extracting, from the input cell image, a region having an area equal to or larger than the cell nucleus area threshold value from among regions having a luminance value equal to or larger than the cell nucleus threshold value as a cell nucleus region;
• and
• extracting, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a fragmented cell nucleus region.