A systematic review and comparison of automated tools for quantification of fibrous networks

de Vries, J.J.; Laan, Daphne M.; Frey, F.F.F.; Koenderink, G.H.; de Maat, Moniek P.M.

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.009

A systematic review and comparison of automated tools for quantification of fibrous networks

Title

A systematic review and comparison of automated tools for quantification of fibrous networks

Author

de Vries, J.J. (Erasmus MC)
Laan, Daphne M. (Erasmus MC)
Frey, F.F.F. (TU Delft BN/Timon Idema Lab)
Koenderink, G.H. (TU Delft BN/Gijsje Koenderink Lab)
de Maat, Moniek P.M. (Erasmus MC)

Date

2023

Abstract

Fibrous networks are essential structural components of biological and engineered materials. Accordingly, many approaches have been developed to quantify their structural properties, which define their material properties. However, a comprehensive overview and comparison of methods is lacking. Therefore, we systematically searched for automated tools quantifying network characteristics in confocal, stimulated emission depletion (STED) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and compared these tools by applying them to fibrin, a prototypical fibrous network in thrombi. Structural properties of fibrin such as fiber diameter and alignment are clinically relevant, since they influence the risk of thrombosis. Based on a systematic comparison of the automated tools with each other, manual measurements, and simulated networks, we provide guidance to choose appropriate tools for fibrous network quantification depending on imaging modality and structural parameter. These tools are often able to reliably measure relative changes in network characteristics, but absolute numbers should be interpreted with care. Statement of significance: Structural properties of fibrous networks define material properties of many biological and engineered materials. Many methods exist to automatically quantify structural properties, but an overview and comparison is lacking. In this work, we systematically searched for all publicly available automated analysis tools that can quantify structural properties of fibrous networks. Next, we compared them by applying them to microscopy images of fibrin networks. We also benchmarked the automated tools against manual measurements or synthetic images. As a result, we give advice on which automated analysis tools to use for specific structural properties. We anticipate that researchers from a large variety of fields, ranging from thrombosis and hemostasis to cancer research, and materials science, can benefit from our work.

Subject

Fibrin
Fibrous networks
Image processing
Microscopy
Systematic review

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f703f992-f444-42cb-88b1-9c81ae1109d6

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.009

ISSN

1742-7061

Source

Acta Biomaterialia, 157, 263-274

Part of collection

Institutional Repository