Abstract: The present invention relates to a test support method which is a means for predicting whether or not pathological complete response (pCR) will be attained when a preoperative chemotherapy with an anticancer drug is performed, the method using a sample (breast cancer tissue section) collected from a breast cancer patient to be subjected to the preoperative chemotherapy. The test support method includes: [1] the step of acquiring a fluorescence image of a breast cancer tissue section, which fluorescence image shows bright spots of fluorescent nanoparticles labeling one or more kinds of breast cancer-related proteins; [2] the step of acquiring at least one index relating to the expression level(s) of the breast cancer-related protein(s) on the basis of the bright spots of the fluorescence image; and [3] the step of acquiring information for predicting pCR by performing an analysis using the above-described at least one index.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an input receiver into which a fluorescent image and a morphological image are input; and a controller. The fluorescent image represents expression of a plurality of kinds of biological substances in a tissue specimen in which a fluorescent bright spot represents expression of the biological substances. The morphological image represents morphology of a cell in the tissue specimen and includes a range common to the fluorescent image. The controller extracts an observation target region from the morphological image, extracts the fluorescent bright spot from the fluorescent image, and calculates a statistical value from a number of the plurality of kinds of biological substances whose expression is represented by the fluorescent bright spots.

Abstract: Provided is a technology in which an image accurately representing a distribution of an area where a specific portion of a cell in an image capturing a cell morphology is captured can be stably acquired. In order to provide the technology, an acquisition unit acquires a virtual cell distribution image in which a distribution of an assumed cell area to be assumed that a specific portion of a cell in a cell morphology image capturing a cell morphology is represented by a plurality of cell display elements, and one or more cell display elements of the plurality of cell display elements is depicted according to an operation of a user. An arithmetic unit obtains a characteristic value relevant to characteristics in appearance and characteristics in appearance of corresponding one or more assumed cell areas in the cell morphology image, with respect to each of the one or more cell display elements described above.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an input receiver into which a fluorescent image and a morphological image are input; and a controller. The fluorescent image represents expression of a plurality of kinds of biological substances in a tissue specimen in which a fluorescent bright spot represents expression of the biological substances. The morphological image represents morphology of a cell in the tissue specimen and includes a range common to the fluorescent image. The controller extracts an observation target region from the morphological image, extracts the fluorescent bright spot from the fluorescent image, and calculates a statistical value from a number of the plurality of kinds of biological substances whose expression is represented by the fluorescent bright spots.

Abstract: Provided is a technology in which an image accurately representing a distribution of an area where a specific portion of a cell in an image capturing a cell morphology is captured can be stably acquired. In order to provide the technology, an acquisition unit acquires a virtual cell distribution image in which a distribution of an assumed cell area to be assumed that a specific portion of a cell in a cell morphology image capturing a cell morphology is represented by a plurality of cell display elements, and one or more cell display elements of the plurality of cell display elements is depicted according to an operation of a user. An arithmetic unit obtains a characteristic value relevant to characteristics in appearance and characteristics in appearance of corresponding one or more assumed cell areas in the cell morphology image, with respect to each of the one or more cell display elements described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a test support method which is a means for predicting whether or not pathological complete response (pCR) will be attained when a preoperative chemotherapy with an anticancer drug is performed, the method using a sample (breast cancer tissue section) collected from a breast cancer patient to be subjected to the preoperative chemotherapy. The test support method includes: [1] the step of acquiring a fluorescence image of a breast cancer tissue section, which fluorescence image shows bright spots of fluorescent nanoparticles labeling one or more kinds of breast cancer-related proteins; [2] the step of acquiring at least one index relating to the expression level(s) of the breast cancer-related protein(s) on the basis of the bright spots of the fluorescence image; and [3] the step of acquiring information for predicting pCR by performing an analysis using the above-described at least one index.

Abstract: A measuring method of an intermolecular interaction for optically measuring an intermolecular interaction between a plurality of substances on a thin film, the method comprising: detecting intensity at a first wavelength of reflected light or transmitted light before start of the intermolecular interaction with a detection unit which detects the reflected light from the thin film or the transmitted light transmitted through the thin film; detecting intensity at the first wavelength of the reflected light or the transmitted light after the start of the intermolecular interaction with the detection unit; and calculating a difference in intensity of the reflected light or the transmitted light at the first wavelength between before and after the start of the intermolecular interaction.