MicroMeasure: A new computer program for the collection and analysis of cytogenetic data

TLDR

Identifying individual chromosomes in cytological preparations is essential for many studies, yet existing software is often limited to specific analyses or hardware configurations. MicroMeasure aims to provide a versatile image analysis tool for collecting diverse chromosomal parameters from digital images. MicroMeasure is a freely available, user‑configurable application that runs on standard PCs without special hardware and can be downloaded from Colorado State University’s website.

Abstract

The ability to identify individual chromosomes in cytological preparations is an essential component of many investigations. While several computer software applications have been used to facilitate such quantitative karyotype analysis, most of these programs are limited by design for specific types of analyses, or can be used only with specific hardware configurations. MicroMeasure is a new image analysis application that may be used to collect data for a wide variety of chromosomal parameters from electronically captured or scanned images. Unlike similar applications, MicroMeasure may be individually configured by the end user to suit a wide variety of research needs. This program can be used with most common personal computers, and requires no unusual or specific hardware. MicroMeasure is made available to the research community without cost by the Department of Biology at Colorado State University via the World Wide Web at http://www.biology.colostate.edu/MicroMeasure.