The iNovator Application Development Toolkit adds significantly to the capabilities of both the iCyte and iCys systems. With iNovator, users can:

• Employ advanced image processing tools to the segmentation and data analysis process
• Control this process with visually oriented macros
• Perform multi-scale scanning and analysis

iNovator provides a number of image processing tools to aid in contouring laser scan images. These tools include:

• Image Filters – Image filters can accentuate details in captured images. The image filters available in iNovator include High Gauss, High Pass, Low Pass, Vertical Edge and Laplace. These filters can accentuate certain details in the images , including partial deconvolution of the laser beam spread function.
• Morphological Filters – Morphological filters allow images to be more clearly visualized by turning pixels on and off according to filtering criteria. Morphological filters include erosion, dilation, opening, and closing.
• Watershed Segmentation – Watershed segmentation uses Euclidian distance maps to separate closely spaced or overlapping events.

Multiple analysis paths may be defined within a given macro to simultaneously contour on virtually any number of different event types or components. The sample iNovator workspace below shows two paths that use different contouring criteria. The first path contours on the Green fluorescence channel and the second path contours on the Orange channel using a different threshold.

This feature allows two sets of events to be generated during a single run. In the following graphic, the second path’s events are named “Nuclei” but they can be given any name and be associated with any structure on which the analysis path is designed to contour.

Additionally, different event components can be related to one another by using an inclusion module within the macro. For example, if an event contour of component type A is included in the event contour of component type B, then a relationship can be established between the two.

Not only can iNovator define multiple event components built on different contouring criteria and relate these components together, but different types of scans can be defined and sequenced within a given macro. The traditional scan, termed FieldScan in the iNovator, can be run at any resolution from 0.5μ to 20μ at .05μ intervals.

A new type of scan, termed MosaicScan, is available only with the iNovator. The MosiacScan has the same resolution options as the FieldScan ; however, where a FieldScan segments and contours on a scan-field-by-scan-field basis, a MosaicScan first stitches together all of the contiguous scan fields in a given Scan Area and then segments and contours on the resultant mosaic image. This method of contouring enables iCyte and iCys to generate contours on events that cross scan field boundaries. This technique produces more comprehensive event generation, since events bordering the scan field boundaries are now contoured. It also enables contouring on structures larger than the scan field, such as cell colonies, tissue structures, and tissue sections.

Tissue Microarrays consist of a series of small (.6 mm) plugs of tissue on a single slide. iNovator can automatically scan and label tissue microarrays.

For more information about how iNovator can be used to enhance your iCyte and iCys applications, see the CompuCyte Application Notes.