Affiliations: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands | Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. H.J. Tanke, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) (Zone S1), Einthovenweg, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 71 526 9201; Fax: +31 71 526 8270; E-mail: H.J.Tanke@lumc.nl.
Abstract: The presence of tumor cells in bone marrow, peripheral blood and lymph nodes has proven its clinical and prognostic value. Since the frequency of these cells in bone marrow and blood is sometimes as low as 1 per million and due to the fact that for the analysis of lymph nodes many sectioning levels have to be analyzed, automated imaging devices have been suggested as an useful alternative to conventional manual screening of specimens. The aim of this paper is to review the performance of current equipment that is commercially available, based on literature published so far. Requirements for introducing this equipment for routine clinical practice are discussed.
