How many sections must be measured in order to reconstruct the volume of a structure using serial sections?

Abstract

When reconstructing the volumes of organs, or other individual bodies, the areas of these structures are usually determined with the help of serial sections and the volume thus estimated. The actual number of serial sections that have to be taken into account, whilst arranging such a study, is of great importance. This present paper shows that about 20 equidistant sections are sufficient in order to determinate the volume, even that of extremely irregular formed bodies, whereby the error will not exceed 5%.