A free computer tool counts a tumor marker for doctors
Original title: An open-source application for automated quantification of Ki-67 proliferative index in meningiomas.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was tested on stored tissue samples, not yet in day to day patient care.
The short version
Researchers made a free tool that counts a tumor growth marker, and it matched expert counts well.
What was studied. Doctors look at a marker called Ki-67 to see how fast a tumor is growing. Researchers trained a computer tool on 10 meningioma samples. They then tested it on 50 more samples and compared it to 2 people counting by hand.
What they found. The 2 people counting by hand did not always agree with each other. The computer tool matched each person's count more closely than the 2 people matched each other. The tool is free to use online, and the code is open for anyone.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Counting by hand can mean checking up to 1000 cells. It takes a long time, and two people can get different answers. A tool like this could make that count faster and steadier. That may help doctors grade a meningioma the same way each time.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a treatment, and it is not a cure. It does not shrink or change a tumor. The tool was tested on stored tissue samples, not during real patient care. We do not know yet if it changes how patients do.
Source: PubMed, August 21, 2026 · Read the original
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