Automated methods for assessment of celiac disease

A digital image analysis-based method for assessing gross tissue morphometry in individuals submitted for evaluation of celiac disease severity, comprising:

• obtaining digital images of stained tissue sections mounted on glass slides obtained from individuals submitted for celiac disease evaluation;
• implementing and algorithm process using a computer to:
• apply image post-processing steps to generate a binary image of the tissue area footprint;
• detect the edge of the tissue area;
• display the detection of the tissue area edge;
• count the total number of tissue area edge pixels;
• count the total number of tissue area pixels;
• extract gross tissue morphometric features;
• and
• calculate the ratio of tissue area perimeter to total area (P:A);
• deriving a score of disease severity based on one or more of:
• the P:A ratio, one or more gross tissue morphometric features, and the P:A ratio and one or more gross tissue morphometric features;
• using said score of disease severity to stratify patients into positive and negative diagnosis bins for celiac disease;
• and
• further stratifying those individuals with a positive diagnosis of celiac disease into sub-classifications of disease severity;
• wherein the image post-processing steps identify the boundaries of the tissue area and fill in the interior of the tissue area to produce a binary mask of the tissue area footprint.