Elsafty_RBCs_Cellular_Images_and_Masks

This Elsafty_RBCs_Cellular_Images_and_Masks dataset is systematically structured into three primary folders: "Cropped images”, "Masks”, and "Segmented images”. Within each of these primary folders, there are nine subfolders, meticulously dedicated to each RBCs class, encompassing the following counts of cells: "Angled cells: 24,187", "Borderline ovalocytes: 35,540”, "Burr cells: 8,948”, "Fragmented RBCs: 7,186”, "Ovalocytes: 55,073”, "Rounded RBCs: 46,338”, "Teardrops: 16,298”, "Three-overlapping RBCs: 15,577”, and "Two-overlapping RBCs: 31,360”. Each of the total 240,507 cells is represented by its own cropped image, mask, and segmented image. Samples for every class were collected from each slide/patient. The naming scheme for the cropped image, mask, and segmented image of every cell adheres to a consistent format, starting with the slide/patient number, followed by the unique patch/field number, and concluding with the (XYWH) coordination on the patch. All these images are conveniently stored in the lossless ".PNG" format.The presence of fragmented RBCs or teardrop-shaped RBCs is medically significant as it is commonly associated with serious medical conditions. Fragmented RBCs are defined as RBCs that are smaller than half the average normal/rounded RBCs size and/or irregularly shaped fragments with sharp, angular, or jagged edges. Identifying these cells is the most reliable indicator to confirm the diagnosis of diseases such as hemolytic anemias, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). However, reporting fragmented RBCs in TTP and DIC can be a challenge due to their infrequency in hematology labs; furthermore, the cutoff for significant presence in these two serious diseases is just above 1–1.5% of the total RBCs, increasing the risk of overlooking them. Crucially, in cases of critical thrombocytopenia where the platelet count is less than 20 K/µL, platelet transfusion may be necessary, but this intervention can be life-threatening in TTP and DIC. Therefore, identifying and counting fragmented RBCs could be critical for the accurate diagnosis and management of patients with associated medical conditions.Increased teardrop-shaped RBCs above 2–4% in adults can be indicative of bone marrow fibrosis caused by bone marrow cancers, and in non-cancerous conditions, rushed erythropoiesis/production of blood to compensate for severe anemia is the differential diagnosis. Currently, manual or DL-based visual examination is the only way to identify teardrop-shaped RBCs. It is essential to differentiate between true teardrop-shaped RBCs, which have a single blunt protrusion, and false ones that have sharp surface projections without necks or have more than one blunt protrusion. Mechanical stress during blood smear preparation often leads to the formation of false teardrop shapes, primarily at the outer edges of the blood film.Ovalocytes are a type of RBCs that have an abnormal oval shape. The presence of ovalocytes exceeding 5–10% of the total RBCs is associated with almost all types of anemia or erythrocytosis. They may display elongation and/or a pear shape, but without any blunt or sharp surface protrusions. Occasionally, they can also appear in normal blood smears due to mechanical deformation during preparation, though at a low frequency.The burr cells have uneven surfaces with several small notches and protrusions. Likewise, no technological substitute currently exists for the visual recognition of burr cells, which tend to elevate under conditions of dehydration, such as in cases of renal failure or dehydrated neonates. Alternatively, in situations lacking medical justification, the presence of burr cells may arise due to the extended drying of smears during the manual staining procedure.

本Elsafty_RBCs_Cellular_Images_and_Masks红细胞（Red Blood Cells, RBCs）细胞图像及掩码数据集采用系统化架构，分为三个核心文件夹：「裁剪图像」「掩码」与「分割图像」。每个核心文件夹下均设有9个子文件夹，分别对应一类红细胞类别，各类别细胞数量如下：角形红细胞：24,187个、临界椭圆形红细胞：35,540个、棘形红细胞：8,948个、破碎红细胞：7,186个、椭圆形红细胞：55,073个、圆形红细胞：46,338个、泪滴形红细胞：16,298个、三个重叠红细胞：15,577个、两个重叠红细胞：31,360个。总计240,507个细胞中的每一个，均配有专属的裁剪图像、掩码与分割图像。每一类别的样本均取自每一张血涂片/每一位患者。每个细胞的裁剪图像、掩码及分割图像的命名规则统一：以血涂片/患者编号为开头，随后为唯一的视野/图像块编号，最后标注该图像块内的(XYWH)坐标。所有图像均采用无损.PNG格式存储。破碎红细胞或泪滴形红细胞的检出具有重要临床意义，因其常与多种重症疾病相关。破碎红细胞的定义为：尺寸小于正常圆形红细胞平均尺寸一半的红细胞，和/或形状不规则、带有尖锐、棱角或锯齿状边缘的碎片状红细胞。识别此类细胞是确诊溶血性贫血、血栓性血小板减少性紫癜（Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, TTP）及弥散性血管内凝血（Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, DIC）的最可靠指标。然而，由于破碎红细胞在血液学实验室中检出率较低，在TTP和DIC病例中报告此类细胞颇具挑战；此外，这两种重症疾病中具有临床意义的破碎红细胞占比阈值仅为总红细胞的1%~1.5%以上，进一步提升了漏检风险。尤为关键的是，当患者出现重症血小板减少症（血小板计数低于20 K/µL）时，可能需要进行血小板输注，但在TTP和DIC病例中，该治疗手段可能危及生命。因此，识别并计数破碎红细胞，对相关疾病患者的精准诊断与临床管理至关重要。成人外周血中泪滴形红细胞占比超过2%~4%时，常提示由骨髓恶性肿瘤引发的骨髓纤维化；在非恶性疾病中，则需与因严重贫血而代偿性加速的红细胞生成（应急性造血）相鉴别。目前，识别泪滴形红细胞仅能通过人工目视检查或基于深度学习（Deep Learning, DL）的视觉分析手段。临床中需严格区分真性泪滴形红细胞与假性泪滴形红细胞：真性泪滴形红细胞仅带有单个钝性突起；而假性泪滴形红细胞则带有无颈部的尖锐表面突起，或存在多个钝性突起。血涂片制备过程中的机械应力常导致假性泪滴形红细胞的形成，此类假阳性样本多集中于血膜的边缘区域。椭圆形红细胞是一类形态异常的椭圆形红细胞。当外周血中椭圆形红细胞占总红细胞的比例超过5%~10%时，几乎与各类贫血或红细胞增多症相关。此类细胞可呈伸长形态或梨形，但无任何钝性或尖锐的表面突起。偶因血涂片制备过程中的机械变形，正常血涂片也可出现椭圆形红细胞，但检出率较低。棘形红细胞的表面凹凸不平，带有多个小型切迹与突起。目前，视觉识别棘形红细胞同样无技术替代方案；此类细胞在脱水状态下（如肾衰竭或脱水新生儿病例）的检出率会升高。此外，若不存在医学指征，血涂片在人工染色过程中过度干燥，也可导致棘形红细胞的假性出现。