What is computer assisted semen analysis CASA Sperm Motility?

Sperm concentration assessment (M/ml) and motility analysis are performed on native samples by recording AVI clips (acquired live from your imaging device to PC memory or prerecorded to disk). The analysis strictly follows the requirements of the “WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucus interaction”. The analysis is based on frame by frame detection of sperm heads on video clips and building precise tracks which reveal the nature of sperm movement and provide sperm concentration value. The total number of sperms is also calculated automatically. One frame with tracks is automatically saved to database record to serve as visual support in the report or you can save a suitable frame yourself.

The following parameters are calculated:

1. VCL = curvilinear velocity (micron/s). Time-average velocity of a sperm head along its actual curvilinear path, as perceived in two dimensions in the microscope.

2. VSL = straight line velocity (micron/s). Time-average velocity of a sperm head along the straight line between its first detected position and its last.

3.VAP = average path velocity (micron/s). Time-average velocity of a sperm head along its average path. This path is computed by smoothing the actual path.

4.LIN = linearity. The linearity of a curvilinear path.

5. STR straightness. The linearity of the average path.

6. BCF = beat cross frequency (beats/s). The average rate at which the sperm's curvilinear path crosses its average path.

7.ALH = amplitude of lateral head displacement. Magnitude of lateral displacement of a sperm head about its average path.

8.WOB = wobble. A measure of oscillation of the actual path about the average path, VAP/VCL.

9. MAD mean angular displacement of the sperm head.

10. Elongation of sperm head.

 Pointing with your mouse cursor to a track, you can see the exact values of the parameters for the selected spermatozoon   and classification result in a pop-up window. The clip can be played again, rewound, played frame by frame for detailed   analysis. You can save clips to your hard disc uncompressed without loss of quality or by using virtually any codec     installed  on your PC (xVid codec is recommended). You can adjust detection threshold and also change the classification   limits if required.

  Based on the parameters mentioned above, the motility of each spermatozoon is graded A, B, C or D (WHO), according      to whether it shows:

      A = rapid progressive motility

     B = slow or sluggish progressive motility

     C = nonprogressive motility

     D  = immotility

     A+B = progressive motility

      A+B+C = total motility

   Additionally, the software enables the user to assess the concentration of:

     White blood cells

      Immature germ cells

      Round cells

    Flexible tool for adjustment of sperm head detection will let you work with both bright field and phase contrast             negative phase contrast yields the best results) and not only human sperms but also many animal species.