Former CRY Research Fellow Dr Chris Miles’ recent research helped demonstrate how new computer software can help identify and analyse abnormalities in the heart that we may not be able to see otherwise.
Dr Miles’ paper, entitled “Morphometric characterization of collagen and fat in normal ventricular myocardium” (Miles C, Westaby J, Ster I C, et al. Cardiovascular Pathology, May, 2020), looked at 29 non-cardiac death cases referred to the CRY Centre for Cardiac Pathology. This study aimed to examine the structure of heart tissue and collagen content using automated digital pathology software.
Dr Miles provided us with an explanation of his study, and why new technology is important:
“Detailed examination of the heart is crucial in determining the cause of an initially unexplained sudden death. Over recent years, specialist computer software has emerged as a useful tool in helping identify abnormalities in the heart, which may not be appreciated under the microscope. In this study, we examined hearts from a group of individuals who had died from non-cardiac causes. Image analysis software was used to investigate the composition of normal heart tissue, providing an accurate measurement of the proteins and cells required for the heart to function.
“The results from this study demonstrate how novel technology can complement traditional methods of diagnosis, allowing comparisons to be made with suspected abnormalities that can be difficult to discern with the human eye.”
If you want to find out more and read the paper in full, click here.
