Ann Dermatol.  1994 Jul;6(2):140-145. 10.5021/ad.1994.6.2.140.

Quantification of Nucleolar Organizer Regions in Skin Tumors

• Lee SY
• Kim CH
• Oh CH

• KMID: 2361450
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.1994.6.2.140

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) have recently attracted much attention because of claims that their frequency within nuclei is significantly higher in malignant cells than in normal, reactive, or benign neoplastic cells.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a method allowing selection of the best morphometric criterion for quantifying AgNOR proteins under conventional observation conditions by light microscopy. METHOD: We tried to investigate the various parameters including NORs counting in cutaneous tumors using image analysis system.
RESULTS
There were significant differences in mean nucleus area per a AgNOR, nucleus area between the benign and potentially malignant group. But the conventional counting of AgNORs is not able to differentiate between the two groups. We could discriminate squamous cell carcinoma from Bowen's disease using parameters of mean ratio of AgNORs area per nucleus area, mean ratio of greatest AgNORs area per nucleus area, coefficient of variation (C V) of nucleus area, and mean area of largest AgNORs. In squamous cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma, C V of nucleus area has shown a significant difference.
CONCLUSION
Study of AgNORs using image analysis system is a useful tool for the diagnosis of cutaneous tumors.

Keyword

Skin tumor; Image analysis system

MeSH Terms

Bowen's Disease
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Diagnosis
Keratoacanthoma
Methods
Microscopy
Nucleolus Organizer Region*
Skin*