Cervical screening system

• US 20010029044A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ampersand Medical Corp. (Medite Cancer Diagnostics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ampersand Medical Corp. (Medite Cancer Diagnostics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorodeski, George, Domanik, Richard A., Gombrich, Peter P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,663,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/288.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0291 for uterus A61B10/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for accurately obtaining cervical cells from a patient and quickly screening the sample includes a collector for collecting a spatially arranged cell sample from a target tissue, and an analyzer that examines the cell sample for abnormal cells while the cell sample remains on a surface of the collector.

Claims

1. A cell analysis system comprising:

a collector for collecting a spatially arranged cell sample from a target tissue; and

an analyzer that examines the cell sample for abnormal cells while the cell sample remains on a surface of the collector.

2. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample is a cervical cell sample comprising endocervical cells and ectocervical cells.

3. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample retains its spatial arrangement when removed from the target tissue.

4. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the analyzer determines the spatial location of a group of one or more abnormal cells.

5. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the analyzer differentiates between normal and abnormal cells and reports on a degree of difference therebetween.

6. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the collector comprises a collection surface configured to approximate the shape of a human cervix.

7. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample is analyzed on an individual cell basis.

8. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample is analyzed en masse.

9. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample is analyzed optically.

10. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the cell sample is analyzed by analyzing the cellular fluorescence of the cell sample.

11. The cell analysis system of

claim 10

, wherein the cellular fluorescence is intrinsic to the cell sample.

12. The cell analysis system of

claim 10

, wherein the cellular fluorescence is imparted to the cell sample via an extrinsic mechanism.

13. The cell analysis system of

claim 12

, wherein the cellular fluorescence is imparted to the cell sample via one or more immunochemical reagents.

14. The cell analysis system of

claim 12

, wherein the cellular fluorescence is imparted to the cell sample via one or more chemical reagents.

15. The cell analysis system of

claim 10

, wherein the cellular fluorescence is analyzed according to its intensity.

16. The cell analysis system of

claim 15

, wherein the fluorescence intensity is measured at a plurality of wavelengths.

17. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the collector comprises a collection surface upon which cells are naturally adhered.

18. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the collector comprises a collection surface that has been treated to enhance cell adhesion.

19. The cell analysis system of

claim 1

, wherein the spatial arrangement of the cellular sample is reported to an operator.