System for tracking biological samples

• US 20030120633A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Torre-Bueno, Jose De La
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00138 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00742 Type of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00831 identification of the sample, e.g. patient identity, place of sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00841 results of the analyses
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 40/00 ICT specially adapted for biostatistics; ICT specially adapted for bioinformatics-related machine learning or data mining, e.g. knowledge discovery or pattern finding
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/00 ICT programming tools or database systems specially adapted for bioinformatics
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for the handling of biological specimens for analysis. The systems, methods and apparatus are designed to reduce errors in misidentification, incorrect processing, and recordkeeping and reporting. The systems, methods, and apparatus can also provide real time tracking of samples at any stage, from collection to processing to analyzing to storage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for tracking biological samples, comprising:

a) a receptacle for holding a biological sample; and

b) a unique identifier affixed to the receptacle for holding the biological sample.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a bag, a cup, a cassette, a slide, a tube, a cuvette, a biochip, or a microplate.

3. A system for tracking biological samples, comprising:

a) the apparatus of claim 1;

and

b) a reader for recognizing the unique identifier in communication with at least one laboratory equipment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the laboratory equipment is a microtome, an autostainer, an automated microscope, refrigerator, or storage unit.

5. A system for tracking biological samples, comprising:

a) the apparatus of claim 1;

b) a central database; and

c) a reader for recognizing the unique identifier in communication with the central database.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the reader is located at a workstation in a laboratory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the reader is located at any one or more of a shipping/receiving workstation, a grossing workstation, a management workstation, an accession workstation, or a review workstation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader is in communication with a piece of laboratory equipment, wherein the laboratory equipment is also in communication with the central database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the central database is accessed by authorized users at remote sites.

20. The system of claim 5, wherein more than one laboratory is linked to the central database.

10. An apparatus for preparing samples, comprising:

a) a microtome; and

b) a reader for recognizing a unique identifier or a unique identifier holding information in communication with the microtome.

11. An apparatus for storing samples, comprising:

a) a storage unit; and

b) a reader for recognizing a unique identifier or a unique identifier holding information in communication with the storage unit.

12. A method for tracking samples, comprising:

a) assigning a unique identifier to a sample;

b) providing a reader for recognizing the unique identifier;

c) placing the reader at desired locations throughout a laboratory; and

d) using the reader to provide a time and location for the sample.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a central database for receiving information about the time and location from the reader.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing laboratory equipment in communication with the central database, wherein the central database can transmit information about the sample and receive information about the sample.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reader, laboratory equipment, and central database are in communication with each other.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a user takes the unique identifier and allows the reader to recognize the identifier and transmit information to the central database.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the central database receives the information and transmits other information back to the user or to the laboratory equipment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user allows the reader to recognize the identifier at multiple steps throughout the processing of the sample.

19. The method of claim 18, whereby the central database creates a log of all activities related to the unique identifier of the sample.

21. A computer system comprising:

a) a database including records comprising the identity of a biological sample collected from at least one subject and the identity of at least one diagnostic analysis to be performed on the biological sample; and

b) a remote user interface capable of receiving the records for use in matching the biological sample with the diagnostic analysis to be performed on the biological sample.

22. A computer-assisted method for processing a biological sample using a programmed computer including a processor, an input device, and an output device, comprising:

a) inputting into the programmed computer, through the input device, data including the identity of a biological sample collected from at least one subject and the identity of at least one diagnostic analysis to be performed on the biological sample;

b) determining, using the processor, the parameters of the diagnostic analysis; and

c) outputting, to the output device, the results of the at least one determination.

23. A method for automated analysis of a biological sample, comprising:

a) providing a user with a mechanism for electronically communicating the identity of a biological sample collected from at least one subject and the identity of at least one diagnostic analysis to be performed on the biological sample;

b) providing the biological sample with a unique designation;

c) providing the diagnostic analysis with a unique identifier;

d) optionally providing the user with an opportunity to communicate at least one desired modification to the diagnostic analysis;

e) allowing the user to transmit the information of a), b), c) and optionally d) to a server;

f) allowing a second user to obtain the information from the server of e);

g) correlating the information with the biological sample;

h) performing the diagnostic analysis on the biological sample; and

i) inputting into a programmed computer, through an input device, data including the results of the diagnostic analysis.

24. A method of selecting a therapy for the patient comprising:

a) obtaining a patient sample from a caregiver;

b) identifying at least one diagnostic profile to be performed on the sample;

c) providing a caregiver with a mechanism for electronically communicating the identity of the biological sample collected from the patient and the identity of the diagnostic profile to be performed on the biological sample to a server, wherein the patient and profile are given a unique identifier; and

d) allowing a second user to obtain the information from the server of c).