METHODS FOR FEATURE ANALYSIS ON CONSECUTIVE TISSUE SECTIONS

• US 20120076390A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flagship Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flagship Bio
• Inventors: Potts, Steven, Johnson, Trevor, Voelker, Frank, Young D, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10056 Microscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20104 Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30096 Tumor; Lesion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/38 Registration of image sequences

Abstract

Feature analysis on consecutive tissue sections (FACTS) includes obtaining a plurality of consecutive tissue sections from a tissue sample, staining the sections with at least one biomarker, obtaining a digital image thereof, and identifying one or more regions of interest within a middle of the consecutive tissue sections. The digital images of the consecutive tissue sections are registered for alignment and the one or more regions of interest are transferred from the image of the middle section to the images of the adjacent sections. Each image of the consecutive tissue sections is then analyzed and scored as appropriate. Using FACTS methods, pathologist time for annotation is reduced to a single slide. Optionally, multiple middle sections may be annotated for regions of interest and transferred accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for feature analysis on consecutive tissue sections, comprising:

obtaining a tissue specimen for analysis;

sectioning said tissue specimen into at least three consecutive tissue sections comprising a first tissue section, a second tissue section, and a third tissue section, said second tissue section originating from a volume of said tissue specimen between said first and third tissue sections;

applying at least one biomarker to said consecutive tissue sections;

using a digital image analysis system comprising a camera and a display screen to capture a digital image of each of said at least three consecutive tissue sections;

identifying one or more regions of interest within the digital image of the second tissue section;

registering the digital images of the first and third tissue sections with the digital image of said second tissue section to digitally align each of the images,

transferring said one or more regions of interest from within the digital image of the second tissue section to the digital images of said first and third tissue sections; and

deriving a score for each of said consecutive tissue sections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining a tissue specimen comprises preparing a tissue sample in a paraffin block and thinly slicing each of said consecutive tissue sections therefrom.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least three consecutive tissue sections comprises five consecutive tissue sections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one biomarker comprises:

a first biomarker applied to said first tissue section, a second biomarker applied to said second tissue section, and a third biomarker applied to said third tissue section, the first through third biomarkers being distinct from one another.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said deriving a score comprises executing an algorithm programmed within said digital analysis system to quantify one or more pixilated areas within the region of interest from at least one of said digital images.