Quantification of structural changes in acute inflammation by fractal dimension, angular second moment and correlation

• Published in: Journal of microscopy (Oxford) 2016-03, Vol.261 (3), p.277-284
• Main Authors: STANKOVIC, MARIJA, PANTIC, IGOR, DE LUKA, SILVIO R., PUSKAS, NELA, ZALETEL, IVAN, MILUTINOVIC‐SMILJANIC, SANJA, PANTIC, SENKA, TRBOVICH, ALEXANDER M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute inflammation; angular second moment; Animals; correlation; fractal dimension; Fractals; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - pathology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy - methods; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - ultrastructure; Random Allocation; Turpentine
• ISSN: 0022-2720; 1365-2818
• DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12330

Summary The aim of the study was to examine alteration and possible application of fractal dimension, angular second moment, and correlation for quantification of structural changes in acutely inflamed tissue. Acute inflammation was induced by injection of turpentine oil into the right and left hind limb muscles of mice, whereas control animals received intramuscular saline injection. After 12 h, animals were anesthetised and treated muscles collected. The tissue was stained by hematoxylin and eosin, digital micrographs produced, enabling determination of fractal dimension of the cells, angular second moment and correlation of studied tissue. Histopathological analysis showed presence of inflammatory infiltrate and tissue damage in inflammatory group, whereas tissue structure in control group was preserved, devoid of inflammatory infiltrate. Fractal dimension of the cells, angular second moment and correlation of treated tissue in inflammatory group decreased in comparison to the control group. In this study, we were first to observe and report that fractal dimension of the cells, angular second moment, and correlation were reduced in acutely inflamed tissue, indicating loss of overall complexity of the cells in the tissue, the tissue uniformity and structure regularity. Fractal dimension, angular second moment and correlation could be useful methods for quantification of structural changes in acute inflammation. Lay Description The aim of this study was to examine alteration, and possible application of mathematical parameters fractal dimension, angular second moment, and correlation for quantification of structural changes in acutely‐inflamed tissue. An acute inflammation was induced by injection of turpentine oil into mice muscles, whereas control group received intramuscular injection of saline. After 12 h animals were anesthetized, and treated muscles were collected. The tissue was stained, and photos of the tissue were made. Mathematical parameters, namely fractal dimension, angular second moment, and correlation of the tissue photo, were determined by computer program. Standard histopathological analysis showed that inflammatory infiltrate and tissue damage were present in inflammatory group, whereas tissue structure in control group was preserved, and without inflammatory infiltrate. Fractal dimension of the cells, angular second moment and correlation of the treated tissue in inflammatory group decreased, when compared to control group. In this st