Cell image analysis apparatus, cell image analysis method, and program

1. A cell image analysis apparatus for analyzing a cell in which a fragmented cell nucleus is generated inside the cell nucleus due to apoptosis, the cell image analysis apparatus comprising:

a threshold value storage unit, the threshold value storage unit comprising a memory which stores, in advance, (i) a cell nucleus threshold value, (ii) a fragmented cell nucleus threshold value, and (iii) a cell nucleus area threshold value, wherein the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value is larger than the cell nucleus threshold value;

an image input unit which inputs a cell image captured by a microscope from a cell stained with a fluorescent substance; and

a processor which is operable as:

a cell nucleus region extraction unit which extracts, from the input cell image, a region having an area equal to or larger than the cell nucleus area threshold value from among regions having a luminance value equal to or larger than the cell nucleus threshold value as a cell nucleus region; and

a fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit which extracts, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a fragmented cell nucleus region.

2. The cell image analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit comprises:

a candidate region extraction unit which extracts, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a candidate region; and

a region determination unit which performs boundary detection processing based on a gradient of the luminance value of each pixel to detect a boundary in the candidate region, and extracts a region surrounded by the detected boundary as the fragmented cell nucleus region.

3. The cell image analysis apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit further comprises a peak detection unit which detects a pixel having a peak luminance value from the candidate region,

wherein the region determination unit detects a boundary which includes a pixel having a peak luminance value and on which an average value of the gradient of the luminance value of each pixel has a maximum value.

4. The cell image analysis apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the threshold value storage unit further stores a fragmented cell nucleus area threshold value, and the region determination unit extracts a region surrounded by a boundary having an inner area equal to or smaller than the fragmented cell nucleus area threshold value from among a plurality of detected boundaries as the fragmented cell nucleus region.

5. The cell image analysis apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the threshold value storage unit further stores a fragmented cell nucleus area threshold value, and the region determination unit extracts a region surrounded by a boundary having an inner area equal to or smaller than the fragmented cell nucleus area threshold value from among a plurality of detected boundaries as the fragmented cell nucleus region.

6. The cell image analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a fragmented cell nucleus region selection unit which determines, for each fragmented cell nucleus region extracted by the fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit, whether or not the following conditions are satisfied, and selects only a fragmented cell nucleus region satisfying at least one of the conditions:

a condition regarding a statistical value of the luminance values of pixels in the fragmented cell nucleus region;

a condition regarding a comparison result of the statistical value of the luminance values of the pixels in the fragmented cell nucleus region and a statistical value of the luminance values of pixels around the fragmented cell nucleus region;

a condition regarding a size of the fragmented cell nucleus region;

a condition regarding a comparison result of the size of the fragmented cell nucleus region and a size of a cell nucleus region including the fragmented cell nucleus region; and

a condition regarding a shape of the fragmented cell nucleus region.

7. A cell image analysis method of a cell image analysis apparatus for analyzing a cell in which a fragmented cell nucleus is generated inside the cell nucleus due to apoptosis, wherein the cell image analysis apparatus includes a threshold value storage unit comprising a memory which stores, in advance, (i) a cell nucleus threshold value, (ii) a fragmented cell nucleus threshold value, and (iii) a cell nucleus area threshold value, and a processor which is operable as a cell nucleus region extraction unit and a fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit, wherein the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value is larger than the cell nucleus threshold value, and wherein the method comprises:

inputting a cell image captured by a microscope from a cell stained with a fluorescent substance to the cell image analysis apparatus;

extracting, using the cell nucleus region extraction unit, from the input cell image, a region having an area equal to or larger than the cell nucleus area threshold value from among regions having a luminance value equal to or larger than the cell nucleus threshold value as a cell nucleus region; and

extracting, using the fragmented cell nucleus region extraction unit, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a fragmented cell nucleus region.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored thereon, wherein the program controls a processor of a cell image analysis apparatus to analyze a cell in which a fragmented cell nucleus is generated inside the cell nucleus due to apoptosis, the cell image analysis apparatus including a threshold value storage unit comprising a memory which stores, in advance, (i) a cell nucleus threshold value, (ii) a fragmented cell nucleus threshold value, and (iii) a cell nucleus area threshold value, wherein the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value is larger than the cell nucleus threshold value, and wherein the program controls the computer to execute functions comprising:

inputting a cell image captured by a microscope from a cell stained with a fluorescent substance;

extracting, from the input cell image, a region having an area equal to or larger than the cell nucleus area threshold value from among regions having a luminance value equal to or larger than the cell nucleus threshold value as a cell nucleus region; and

extracting, from the cell nucleus region, a region having a luminance value equal to or larger than the fragmented cell nucleus threshold value as a fragmented cell nucleus region.