Method and device for recording microscopic images

• US 20070190661A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: innovatis AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: innovatis AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Gudermann, Frank, Sturz, Marc
• Application Number:
  US10/596,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20070190661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/164
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1475 using image analysis for extracting features of the particle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1452 Adjustment of focus; Alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/002 sedimentation or centrifugal FFF
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for recording high-resolution microscopic images of particles or organisms suspended in a liquid, wherein the suspension is introduced into a measuring cell, especially a flow cuvette, and the image of the suspension is recorded by an optical sensor, and wherein the optical sensor and the measuring cell are moved relative to one another while the content of the measuring cell is imaged completely or in part.

Claims

1. A method for recording microscopic images with high optical resolution of particles or organisms suspended in a liquid, comprising introducing the suspension in a measuring cell, and recording the image of the suspension by an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor and measuring cell are moving relative to one another while the contents of the measuring cell are imaged.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor is moving along the measuring cell.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said measuring cell is moving along the sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said measuring cell is imaged onto said optical sensor by the movement of optical elements.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing the particles to sink onto the ground of the measuring cell or into a region above the ground, wherein only part of the measuring cell contains the particles or organisms to be examined, imaging the ground or the region above with a high optical resolution, and covering the ground or the region above by the optical sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing the particles to rise to an upper limiting surface of the measuring cell or into a region below the upper limiting surface, wherein only part of the measuring cell contains the particles or organisms to be examined, imaging the upper limiting surface or the region below with a high optical resolution, and covering the upper limiting surface or the region below by the optical sensor.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said sinking or rising of the objects within the cuvette can be effected by one or more of the following:

biological techniques, physical techniques, chemical techniques, sedimentation, and buoyancy.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing transmitted light illumination, wherein a light source is situated on one side of the measuring cell, and the optical sensor and an objective sensor are located on the opposite side of the measuring cell.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing incident light illumination by situating a, light source, an objective, and the optical sensor on the same side of the measuring cell.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitted light illumination is bright field illumination.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitted light illumination is dark field illumination.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitted light illumination is phase contrast illumination.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the incident light illumination is fluorescence illumination.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising illuminating the objects in the measuring cell with a defined spectral intensity distribution of the incident light by a suitable light source or the insertion of one or more suitable filters.

15. The method according to claim 9 further comprising illuminating the optical sensor with a defined spectral intensity distribution of the incident light by a suitable light source or the insertion of one or more suitable filters enables the optical sensor to be illuminated with a defined spectral intensity distribution of the incident light.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein the illumination is one or more of the following:

bright field, dark field, and phase contrast illumination.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising admixing the suspension with stains prior to the introducing step.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising changing the one or more filters automatically or manually.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein said measuring cell is a flowing cuvette.

25. The method according the claim 8, further comprising providing a screen and lens system on the same side of the measuring cell as the light source.

26. The method of claim 8 wherein the screen and lens system is a condenser.

27. The method of claim 9, wherein the illumination is fluorescence illumination, spectral intensity distribution of the incident light, or a combination thereof.

19. (canceled)

20. A device for recording microscopic images with high optical resolution of particles or organisms suspended in a liquid, wherein the suspension is introduced in a measuring cell, and the image is recorded by an optical sensor, and further wherein the optical sensor and measuring cell are movable relative to one another and the contents of the measuring cell can be imaged.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein a light source is situated on one side of the measuring cell, and the an objective sensor and the optical sensor are located on the other, opposite side of the measuring cell.

22. The device according to claim 20 wherein a light source is situated on the same side of the measuring cell as an objective sensor, and the optical sensor.

24. The device according to claim 20, wherein said measuring cell is a flowing cuvette.