A real-time GPU-accelerated parallelized image processor for large-scale multiplexed fluorescence microscopy data

Lu G, Baertsch MA, Hickey JW, Goltsev Y, Rech AJ, Mani L, Forgó E, Kong C, Jiang S, Nolan GP, Rosenthal EL.

Abstract

Highly multiplexed, single-cell imaging has revolutionized our understanding of spatial cellular interactions associated with health and disease. With ever-increasing numbers of antigens, region sizes, and sample sizes, multiplexed fluorescence imaging experiments routinely produce terabytes of data. Fast and accurate processing of these large-scale, high-dimensional imaging data is essential to ensure reliable segmentation and identification of cell types and for characterization of cellular neighborhoods and inference of mechanistic insights. Here, we describe RAPID, a Real-time, GPU-Accelerated Parallelized Image processing software for large-scale multiplexed fluorescence microscopy Data. RAPID deconvolves large-scale, high-dimensional fluorescence imaging data, stitches and registers images with axial and lateral drift correction, and minimizes tissue autofluorescence such as that introduced by erythrocytes. Incorporation of an open source CUDA-driven, GPU-assisted deconvolution produced results similar to fee-based commercial software. RAPID reduces data processing time and artifacts and improves image contrast and signal-to-noise compared to our previous image processing pipeline, thus providing a useful tool for accurate and robust analysis of large-scale, multiplexed, fluorescence imaging data.