Automated assessment of absolute nailfold capillary number on videocapillaroscopic images: Proof of principle and validation in systemic sclerosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Absolute nailfold capillary number should be a putative biomarker in selected rheumatic diseases but could be time-consuming and not highly repeatable.

OBJECTIVE:

To validate an automated software for absolute nailfold capillary number and density evaluation, on NVC images in SSc.

METHODS:

An automated software to count nailfold capillary number (AUTOCAPI) had been constructed, through an exploratory image set. Subsequently, application rules have been created to define the ROI in NVC images, through a training images set. The software reliability was assessed through calculation of the ICC between automatic and manual counting, by four independent observers, on the same NVC images.

RESULTS:

The following ICC's were obtained per observer, for the patients with SSc (40 images), the healthy (20 images), and the PRP subgroups (20 images), respectively: 0.94, 0.81, and 0.62 (observer 1); 0.94, 0.91, and 0.67 (observer 2); 0.88, 0.56, and 0.64 (observer 3); and 0.88, 0.85, and 0.85 (observer 4).

CONCLUSIONS:

The validation of an automated software for measuring absolute nailfold capillary number and density in SSc was achieved. The integration into the pre-existing imaging software should make the assessment of the capillary number in NVC easier, quicker, and standardized.

• Authors: Maurizio Cutolo, Amelia C Trombetta, Karin Melsens, Carmen Pizzorni, Alberto Sulli, Barbara Ruaro, Sabrina Paolino, Ellen Deschepper, Vanessa Smith
• Journal: Microcirculation (New York, N.Y. : 1994) (Microcirculation) Vol. 25 Issue 4 Pg. e12447 (05 2018) ISSN: 1549-8719 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29527781 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Validation Study)
• Copyright: © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Topics

• Automation
• Capillaries (diagnostic imaging)
• Humans
• Microscopic Angioscopy (methods, standards)
• Scleroderma, Systemic (physiopathology)
• Software