FahamecV1:A Low Cost Automated Metaphase Detection System

Abstract

In this study, FahamecV1 is introduced and investigated as a low cost and high accuracy solution for metaphase detection. Chromosome analysis is performed at the metaphase stage and high accuracy and automated detection of the metaphase stage plays an active role in decreasing analysis time. FahamecV1 includes an optic microscope, a motorized microscope stage, an electronic control unit, a camera, a computer and a software application. Printing components of the motorized microscope stage (using a 3D printer) is of the main reasons for cost reduction. Operations such as stepper motor calibration, are detection, focusing, scanning, metaphase detection and saving of coordinates into a database are automatically performed. To detect metaphases, a filter named Metafilter is developed and applied. Average scanning time per preparate is 77 sec/cm2. True positive rate is calculated as 95.1%, true negative rate is calculated as 99.0% and accuracy is calculated as 98.8%.