Objective: To compare intraobserver and interobserver variation between traditional histological score (HSCORE) and digital HSCORE (D-HSCORE) performed by expert and naive researchers.
Study design: Immunohistochemical analysis of beta3 integrin subunit of 100 endometrial biopsies obtained from the midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle were reanalyzed using ImageJ software (D-HSCORE). Mean intensity of 3,3'-diaminobenzidine on endometrial glands was read by an expert (HSCORE) versus inexperienced observer using HSCORE and D-HSCORE.
Results: The mean correlation [r(s)(95% CI)] between both methods was 0.86 (0.79-0.90) and highly significant (p < 0.0001) for the experienced individual. The naive researcher overestimated immunostaining, resulting (HSCORE) in negative samples. No discrepancies were seen with D-HSCORE. Interobserver variation for the inexperienced reader was 50% using HSCORE (cutoff 0.7) but 0% with D-HSCORE. Intraobserver variation using ImageJ was 0%.
Conclusion: The D-HSCORE performed by an inexperienced researcher has high correlation to traditional HSCORE performed by an expert.