Automated clinical system for chromosome analysis
First Claim
1. An operator assisted system using a programmed computer for producing karyotype images from a slide mounted on the stage of a microscope, said slide having a plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads, comprisingmoving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer connected to control said microscope to successively present said plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads to the optics of said microscope,storing the location of each spread, thereby automatically prescanning said slide for chromosome spreads,moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer to place the slide motionless on said stage at each successive chromosome spread location, thereby enabling an operating to view each successive chromosome spread to inspect the chromosome spread and determine whether it is acceptable for the purpose of analysis or not,deleting under operator control the location of each spread determined not to be acceptable thereby establishing a list by location of which the chromosome spreads are acceptable,again moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer for generating a digital picture of each of said acceptable chromosome spreads,arranging the chromosomes in the digital picture of an acceptable chromosome spread in a karyotype format, andproducing a visible image of the karyotype format for each acceptable chromosome spread.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic chromosome analysis system is provided wherein a suitably prepared slide with chromosome spreads thereon is placed on the stage of an automated microscope. The automated microscope stage is computer operated to move the slide to enable detection of chromosome spreads on the slide. The X and Y location of each chromosome spread that is detected is stored. At the conclusion of this searching operation, the computer directs the microscope to again sequence through the chromosome spread locations in response to the stored X and Y locations. At this time an operator can view these spreads to determine which ones are worthwhile and which ones are not. He is provided with an accept-reject switch. The microscope stage thereafter again sequences through only the accepted chromosome spreads, and this time a digital photograph of each of the chromosome spreads is made and entered into the computer storage. The computer thereafter measures the chromosomes in a spread, classifies them by group or by type and also prepares a digital karyotype image. This image is converted to analog form, displayed and printed out and constitutes a primary output of the system. Chromosome measurement data is filed in an interactive data base for subsequent statistical analysis. The computer system can also prepare a patient report summarizing the result of the analysis and listing suspected abnormalities.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An operator assisted system using a programmed computer for producing karyotype images from a slide mounted on the stage of a microscope, said slide having a plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads, comprising
moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer connected to control said microscope to successively present said plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads to the optics of said microscope, storing the location of each spread, thereby automatically prescanning said slide for chromosome spreads, moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer to place the slide motionless on said stage at each successive chromosome spread location, thereby enabling an operating to view each successive chromosome spread to inspect the chromosome spread and determine whether it is acceptable for the purpose of analysis or not, deleting under operator control the location of each spread determined not to be acceptable thereby establishing a list by location of which the chromosome spreads are acceptable, again moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer for generating a digital picture of each of said acceptable chromosome spreads, arranging the chromosomes in the digital picture of an acceptable chromosome spread in a karyotype format, and producing a visible image of the karyotype format for each acceptable chromosome spread.
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9. An operator-assisted system using a programmed computer for producing karyotype images from a slide mounted on the stage of a microscope, said slide having a plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads, comprising
means for moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer connected to control said microscope to successively present said plurality of dispersed metaphase chromosome spreads to the optics of said microscope, means for storing the location of each spread, thereby automatically prescanning said slide for chromosome spreads, means for moving said stage under instructions of said programmed computer to place the slide motionless on said stage at each successive chromosome spread location, thereby enabling an operator to view each successive chromosome spread to inspect the chromosome spread and determine whether it is acceptable for the purpose of analysis or not, means for determining under operator control the location of each spread determined not to be accpetable thereby establishing which of said chromosome spreads are acceptable, means under instructions of said programmed computer for generating a digital picture of each of said acceptable chromosome spreads, means for arranging the chromosomes in a digital picture of an acceptable chromosome in a karyotype format, and means for producing a visible image of the karyotype format for each acceptable chromosome spread.
Specification