ASN's Mission

To create a world without kidney diseases, the ASN Alliance for Kidney Health elevates care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world.

learn more

Contact ASN

1401 H St, NW, Ste 900, Washington, DC 20005

email@asn-online.org

202-640-4660

The Latest on X

Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO957

Computational Characterization of Arteries/Arterioles in FSGS/Minimal Change Disease

Session Information

  • Top Trainee Posters - 3
    October 26, 2024 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Convention Center
    Abstract Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Category: Pathology and Lab Medicine

  • 1800 Pathology and Lab Medicine

Authors

  • Zhou, Jin, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
  • Demeke, Dawit S., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • Li, Xiang, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
  • Dinh, Timothy A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • O'Connor, Christopher Lund, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • Liu, Qian, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Zee, Jarcy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Chen, Yijiang, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
  • Janowczyk, Andrew, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
  • Holzman, Lawrence B., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Mariani, Laura H., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • Bitzer, Markus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • Barisoni, Laura, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
  • Hodgin, Jeffrey B., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
  • Lafata, Kyle Jon, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Background

The clinically used semi-qualitative scoring of arteriosclerosis is poorly standardized and reproducible. We developed a computational pipeline to precisely and reproducibly characterize the morphology of arteries/arterioles using digital kidney biopsies.

Methods

One trichrome-stained whole slide image (WSI) from N=229 NEPTUNE/CureGN participants with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (N=128) or minimal change disease (N=101) was used. We developed, applied, and quality controlled deep learning models for segmentation of muscular vessels and intra-vascular compartments (lumen, intima, media). Each vessel was classified into (i) arcuate and (ii) interlobular artery, (iii) 2 muscle layers arteriole, and (iv) 1 muscle layer arteriole and venule. (i), (ii), and (iii) were visually scored for arteriosclerosis (0-3). Intra-arterial thickness was measured using radial sampling and ray casting, with average intima-media thickness ratio computed for each artery/arteriole for correlation with visual scores. These features were summarized for each WSI using aggregation metrics (median, 75th percentiles) for association with disease progression (40% eGFR decline or renal failure).

Results

N=1509 arterioles, 695 interlobular and 131 arcuate arteries were segmented. There was a statistically significant correlation between arteriosclerosis scores and intima-media thickness ratio average (Spearman ρ=0.28, p<0.0001 for arterioles; ρ=0.67, p<0.0001 for interlobular arteries; ρ=0.70, p<0.0001 for arcuate arteries). Arteriole features aggregated at median and 75th percentiles associated with disease progression (log-rank p<0.1). No association was identified in arcuate and interlobular artery features (log-rank p>0.1).

Conclusion

We developed a novel approach to automatically segment arteries/arterioles sub-compartments and to computationally characterize morphologic features of arteriosclerosis. This technique demonstrated potential as a promising reproducible tool to aid pathologists’ clinical assessment.

Funding

  • NIDDK Support; Private Foundation Support