A method and system for evaluating quality of semen sample

Abstract

Disclosed herein is method and system for evaluating semen quality. Plurality of images of stained semen sample are captured and analyzed for eliminating unusable images. Further, visible objects in the images are extracted and classified into sperm objects and non-sperm objects. The sperm objects are further classified into normal/abnormal sperm objects based on morphological characteristics of sperm objects, and a differential count of normal/abnormal sperm objects is determined. Subsequently, an aggregate count of the non-sperm objects is determined. Finally, a sperm quality index, indicative of quality of the semen sample, is computed based on morphological characteristics of sperm objects, differential count of normal/abnormal sperm objects, aggregate count of non-sperm objects and total motility estimate of semen sample. The method of present disclosure helps in accurate estimation of the semen quality, since the aggregate count of the non-sperm objects is considered as a crucial parameter for computing the semen quality index.

1 . A method for evaluating quality of semen sample, the method comprising:
 capturing, by a semen quality analysis system, a plurality of microscopic images of a stained semen sample being examined;   eliminating, by the semen quality analysis system, one or more unusable images from the plurality of microscopic image based on one or more predetermined conditions;   identifying, by the semen quality analysis system, one or more sperm objects and one or more non-sperm objects in each of the plurality of microscopic images determining, by the semen quality analysis system, one or more morphological characteristics of each of the one or more sperm objects, identified in each of the plurality of microscopic images, for classifying each of the one or more sperm objects into one or more normal sperm objects and one or more abnormal sperm objects based on predetermined classification techniques;   determining, by the semen quality analysis system, a differential count of the one or more normal sperm objects and the one or more abnormal sperm objects;   determining, by the semen quality analysis system, an aggregate count of the one or more non-sperm objects identified in each of the plurality of microscopic images; and   computing, by the semen quality analysis system, a semen quality index based on the one or more morphological characteristics of each of the one or more sperm objects, the differential count of the one or more normal sperm objects and the one or more abnormal sperm objects, a total motility estimate of semen sample, and the aggregate count of the one or more non-sperm objects, for evaluating the quality of the semen sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined conditions for analyzing usability of each of the plurality of microscopic images comprises one of:
 blur level in each of the plurality of microscopic images exceeding a predefined threshold blur value;   count of the sperm objects, the non-sperm objects and other objects, visibly present in each of the plurality of microscopic images, less than a predefined threshold count; and   staining proportion in each of the plurality of microscopic images exceeding a predefined threshold staining proportion.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more morphological characteristics comprises at least one of texture of the sperm object, shape of the sperm object, and size of the sperm object. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the total motility estimate of the semen sample is determined prior to staining of the semen sample. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-sperm objects comprises at least one of White Blood Cells (WBCs), Red Blood Cells (RBCs), spermatogonium cells, pathological casts, and one or more microbes. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the quality of the semen sample is directly proportional to the semen quality index of the semen sample. 
     
     
         7 . A semen quality analysis system for evaluating quality of semen sample, the semen quality analysis system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores processor-executable instructions, which on execution, cause the processor to:
 capture a plurality of microscopic images of a stained semen sample being examined; 
 eliminate one or more unusable images from the plurality of microscopic images based on one or more predetermined conditions; 
 identify one or more sperm objects and one or more non-sperm objects in each of the plurality of microscopic images; 
 determine one or more morphological characteristics(of each of the one or more sperm objects, identified in each of the plurality of microscopic images, to classify each of the one or more sperm objects into one or more normal sperm objects and one or more abnormal sperm objects based on predetermined classification techniques; 
 determine a differential count) of the one or more normal sperm objects and the one or more abnormal sperm objects; 
 determine an aggregate count of the one or more non-sperm objects identified in each of the plurality of microscopic images; and 
 computing, by the semen quality analysis system, a semen quality index based on the one or more morphological characteristics of each of the one or more sperm objects, the differential count of the one or more normal sperm objects and the one or more abnormal sperm objects, a total motility estimate of semen sample, and the aggregate count of the one or more non-sperm objects, for evaluating the quality of the semen sample. 
   
     
     
         8 . The semen quality analysis system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the one or more predetermined conditions to analyze usability of each of the plurality of microscopic images comprises one of:
 blur level in each of the plurality of microscopic images exceeding a predefined threshold blur value;   count of the sperm objects, the non-sperm objects and other objects, visibly present in each of the plurality of microscopic images, less than a predefined threshold count; and   staining proportion in each of the plurality of microscopic images exceeding a predefined threshold staining proportion.   
     
     
         9 . The semen quality analysis system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the one or more morphological characteristics comprises at least one of texture of the sperm object, shape of the sperm object, and size of the sperm object. 
     
     
         10 . The semen quality analysis system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the processor determines the total motility estimate of the semen sample prior to staining of the semen sample. 
     
     
         11 . The semen quality analysis system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the one or more non-sperm objects comprises at least one of White Blood Cells (WBCs), Red Blood Cells (RBCs), spermatogonium cells, pathological casts, and one or more microbes. 
     
     
         12 . The semen quality analysis system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the quality of the semen sample is directly proportional to the semen quality index of the semen sample.