CARTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM FOR SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS OF CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

A combined cartographic and morphometric endothelium analyser has been developed by integrating the HISTO 2000 histological imaging and anal ysis system with a prototype human corneal endothelium analyser. The c omplete system allows the elaboration and analysis of cartographies of corneal endothelial tissue, and hence the in vitro study of the spati al distribution of corneal endothelial cells, according to their regio nal morphometric characteristics (cell size and polygonality). The glo bal cartographic reconstruction is obtained by sequential integration of the data analysed for each microscopic field. Subsequently the loca tion of each microscopically analysed field is referred to its real po sition on the histologic preparation by means of X-Y co-ordinates; bot h are provided by micrometric optoelectronic sensors installed on the optical microscope state. Some cartographies of an excised human corne al keratoconus button in vitro are also presented. These cartographic images allow a macroscopic view of endothelial cells analysed microsco pically. Parametric colour images show the spatial distribution of end othelial cells, according to their specific morphometric parameters, a nd exhibit the variability in size and cellular shape which depend on the analysed area.