Cytopathology between art and science

Cytopathology could be regarded as the observation of microscopic images of cells and subjective verbal interpretation of those images. Our freedom of interpretation is limited with the criteria for image identification and classification. This is an art limited by the scrutiny of the technique. However, the science of cytopathology requires objective observations (e.g. digital images), measurements (image analysis), numerical parameters (thresholds, metrics), and probability interpretation (statistics). METHODS: Digital imaging is able to transform BW or density grade image into objects for scientific analysis. This technology failed to assist cytopathology mostly because cytological stains, red and blue, have similar densities and separation is almost impossible. RESULTS: We interfered with forwarding digital images (JPEG format) by suppressing blue or red hue at decompression. This electronic intervention helped to separate the biomarker and enabled the image analysis to the level necessary for identification of individual cells and automatic diagnosis of the clinical condition. CONCLUSION: It appears that the hue separation techniques may change the disappointing participation of cytopathology in medical imaging. We intend to use this approach for development of methods for biomarker‐based, quantitative telecytopathology and mass cervical cancer screening