Cell detection on image-based immunoassays

Abstract

Cell detection and counting in the image-based ELISPOT and Fluorospot immunoassays is considered a bottleneck. The task has remained hard to automatize, and biomedical researchers often have to rely on results that are not accurate. Previously proposed solutions are heuristic, and data-based solutions are subject to a lack of objective ground truth data. In this paper, we analyze a partial differential equations model for ELISPOT, Fluorospot, and assays of similar design. This leads us to a mathematical observation model for the images generated by these assays. We use this model to motivate a methodology for cell detection. Finally, we provide a real-data example that suggests that this cell detection methodology and a human expert perform comparably.