Karyometry in the Estimation of Nuclear Population in Pulmonary Carcinomas2

A method including a computer program was developed for calculation of ellipsoid nuclei in pulmonary carcinomas. The method was based on replicate measurements of nuclear diameters, numbers of nuclei/unit area, thickness of microscopic sections, and the separate mean numbers of oblate and prolate nuclei/unit volume. Significant differences in cell population between individual epidermoid carcinomas were revealed. These were augmented when the karyometric results were calculated on the basis of morphometric data. Correlation of these data with survival time, and calculation of nucleic acid content based on them were discussed.