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Application of the upgraded image superimposition system (SIAS) to the assessment of sperm kinematics
Author(s) -
Mazzilli F.,
Rossi T.,
Delfino M.,
Nofroni I.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0272.1999.00276.x
Subject(s) - superimposition , sperm , kinematics , sperm motility , semen , motility , semen analysis , computer science , artificial intelligence , mathematics , biology , simulation , anatomy , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , infertility , pregnancy , classical mechanics
Dedicated software for semi‐automatic objective motility assessment, based on image superimposition (SIAS), was upgraded in order to allow automatic reading of sperm tracks whilst keeping the advantages of visual check instead of the digital images of classic computer‐aided sperm analysis (CASA) systems. The new system is very fast and accurate and allows an excellent reading of sperm motility in standard semen analysis. Moreover, using this system, an attempt was made to define numerically straight‐line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL) and linearity (LIN) in each WHO sperm motility class. At 21 frames sec −1 , ROC curve analysis determined the following: Class 1 (typical of WHO grade ‘a’): VSL ≥23 μm sec −1 and LIN ≥0.58; class 2 (typical of WHO grade ‘b’): VSL>10 and <23 μm sec −1 and LIN ≥0.58; class 3: VSL>10 μm sec −1 and LIN<0.58 (this additional class was added to differentiate nonstraight progressive motility from classes 1 and 2); class 4 (typical of WHO grade ‘c’): VSL ≤10 μm sec −1 . The numerical definition of sperm motility classes may contribute towards standardization in the objective evaluation of sperm kinematics.