Introduction:

Digital holographic microscopy has made it possible to incorporate the use of numerical and computer tools into optical microscopy. This in turn has led to great progress in the study of cells and tissues in several fields of medicine and related sciences.

Objective:

Describe the histological and morphometric characteristics of human thyroid follicles using digital holographic microscopy.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional histomorphometric study was conducted of human thyroid follicles using a digital holographic microscopy facility. Sample processing was based on inclusion technique by paraffin and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Ten to twelve holographic captures were made per sample, and the double propagation method was used for holographic reconstruction. Estimation was carried out of the area, perimeter, and greatest and smallest diameter of follicles and follicular cavities, and tri-dimensional reconstructions were made of holographic images. Arithmetic mean was determined as the measure of central tendency, and typical or standard deviation as the measure of dispersion.

Results:

Follicular parameters: area (5 140.31 ± 1 126.71 µm2); perimeter (2 961.54 ± 71.2 µm); greatest diameter (921.17 ± 24.34 µm); smallest diameter (746.67 ± 18.08 µm); epithelial height (7.92 ± 0.96). Follicular cavities: area (3 686.18 ± 1 023.52 µm2); greatest diameter (698.86 ± 19.55 µm); smallest diameter (581.15 ± 13.82 µm).

Conclusions:

A number of follicular parameters determined by digital holographic microscopy have not been reported by the literature consulted, and they are of interest to the histological study of human thyroid follicles.

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