105 lines (83 with data), 3.4 kB

---
title: "Importing Spatial Data"
output: 
  html_document:
    toc: true
    toc_depth: 4
    toc_float:
      collapsed: false
      smooth_scroll: false
---

<style>
.title{
  display: none;
}
body {
  text-align: justify
}
.center {
  display: block;
  margin-left: auto;
  margin-right: auto;
}
table, th, td {
  border-collapse: collapse;
  align-self: center;
  padding-right: 10px;
  padding-left: 10px;
}
</style>

```{css, echo=FALSE}
.watch-out {
  color: black;
}
```

```{r setup, include=FALSE}
# use rmarkdown::render_site(envir = knitr::knit_global())
knitr::opts_chunk$set(highlight = TRUE, echo = TRUE)
```

<br>

# Analyzing Image Datasets

VoltRon is a spatial omic analysis platform that allows storing a large amount of spatially resolved datasets. As opposed to datasets with either supracellular (spot-level) or cellular resolutions, one might analyze image datasets and pixels to characterize the morphology of a tissue section. Here, images can also be used to build VoltRon objects where pixels (or tiles) are defined as spatial points, and then can also be used for multiple downstream analysis purposes. 

<br>

## Analysis of H&E images

In this use case, we will analyze the H&E image derived from a tissue section that was first analyzed by The 10x Genomics [Xenium In Situ](https://www.10xgenomics.com/platforms/xenium) platform. Three tissue sections were cut from a single formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast cancer tissue block. A 5 $\mu$m section was used to generate a single Xenium replicate. 

More information on the Xenium and the study can be also be found on the [BioArxiv preprint](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.06.510405v1). You can download the H&E image from the [10x Genomics website](https://www.10xgenomics.com/products/xenium-in-situ/preview-dataset-human-breast) as well (specifically, import the **Post-Xenium H&E image (TIFF)** data). 

We incorporate **importImageData** to convert an image into a pixel-based spatial dataset. 

```{r eval = FALSE, class.source="watch-out"}
Xen_R1_image <- importImageData("Xenium_FFPE_Human_Breast_Cancer_Rep1_he_image.tif",
                                sample_name = "XeniumR1image", 
                                image_name = "H&E")
Xen_R1_image
```

```
VoltRon Object 
XeniumR1image: 
  Layers: Section1 
Assays: ImageData(Main) 
```

```{r eval = FALSE, class.source="watch-out"}
vrImages(Xen_R1_image, scale.perc = 2)
```

<img width="70%" height="70%" src="https://bimsbstatic.mdc-berlin.de/landthaler/VoltRon/Package/images/importdata_HE.png" class="center">

</br>

This VoltRon object stores the metadata information and localization of all pixels in the image.

```{r eval = FALSE, class.source="watch-out"}
head(Metadata(Xen_R1_image))
```

```
             id assay_id     Assay    Layer        Sample     id
         <char>   <char>    <char>   <char>        <char> <char>
1: tile1_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile1
2: tile2_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile2
3: tile3_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile3
4: tile4_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile4
5: tile5_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile5
6: tile6_3adf0a   Assay1 ImageData Section1 XeniumR1image  tile6
```

```{r eval = FALSE, class.source="watch-out"}
nrow(Metadata(Xen_R1_image))
```

```
[1] 5656658
```