DNA ploidy measure of Feulgen-stained cancer cells using three-dimensional image cytometry

The clinical utility of DNA ploidy as prognostic indicator is well established for cancer. Quantitative measures of DNA are possible in cell populations with flow cytometry (FCM) and individual cells with image cytometry (ICM). Because ICM can be more accurate in 3D images of absorptive stained DNA, we studied a new 3D optical microscope, the Cell-CT™. By providing quantitative cytometry of cells moving in a microcapillary tube with 3D visualization of morphology, the Cell-CT combines attributes of both FCM and ICM. Comparing Cell-CT to standard FCM, DNA ploidy measurements of Feulgen stained cultured cancer cells were made using fully automated 3D nuclear segmentation. There was a significant Spearman´s rank correlation (r=0.98, p <;0.01) between the results from FCM and Cell-CT, while determining nuclear morphology of seven different cell types. We conclude that Cell-CT provides measurements of DNA content comparable to FCM and is a valuable alternative method for assessing tumorgenesis of enriched microsamples of diagnostic cells.