Two- and three-dimensional image reconstructions from stained and autoradiographed histological sections

A complete system has been developed to utilize histologicalserial sections for two- and three-dimensional image reconstructions.Eighty to 120 sections are digitized using a personal computingsystem augmented with a imaging board and CCD camera. The imagefiles are transmitted to a VAX computer for processing and imagereconstruction, and the processed images are transmitted backto the personal computer for display and recording using a filmrecorder or PostScript printer. The software developed for thesystem allows serial sections to be placed into proper registrationin a 256³ array, 256 grey levels. Autoradiographs of the sectionsare obtained in the presence of appropriate standards whichare used to recalibrate grey levels to represent linearly theradioactivity of each pixel in the sections and scale the valuesto allow maximum use of the grey scale. Starting from coronallysectioned material the system has been used to analyse and reconstructrat nasal turbinates. In two dimensions horizontal and sagittalsections have been obtained while in three dimensions back-to-frontand surface-rendered images have been constructed. Useful renderingof differential metabolic activity within an organ of complexgeometry has been obtained, and there appears to be no reasonwhy the system cannot be used for any material for which serialsectioning is appropriate. Received on November 29, 1989; accepted on February 28, 1990