ISSN:
1059-910X
Keywords:
Cavalieri's principle
;
Length density
;
Morphometry
;
Stereology
;
Surface density
;
Vertical sections
;
Vertical slices
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Natural Sciences in General
Notes:
We compare the effectiveness of morphometric methods for extimating lung parameters. Various stereological methods are applied on human lungs and described in detail. The lung volume was estimated by Cavalieri's principle and by fluid displacement. But methods are reliable, but Cavalieri's principle is superior when systematic sections are needed or when volumes of parts of the lung are wanted. Point counting demonstrated that 87.5% of the lung is parenchyma, 5.4% is vessel volume, and 7.1% is bronchia volume. Alveolar surface was estimated on vertical and isotropic uniform random tissue (IUR) sections. The capillary length and length density was estimated on projected images of vertical slices (Gokhale method) and on IUR sections. Only minute differences were found whether IUR sections or vertical sections were used. Of the total variation, approximately 2% was due to the stereological variation and approximately 98% was due to the biological variation on IUR sections and vertical sections. Estimates for volumes, surfaces, and lengths coming from model-based and design-based methods gave similar results for human lungs. In our hands, the design-based methods were easier to use and required less time. However, only the design-based methods offer the guarantee of an unbiased estimate. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Additional Material:
2 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jemt.1070320308
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