Specimen management system

• US 5,963,368 A
• Filed: 09/09/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hologic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accumed Incorporated (Emerald Capital Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Domanik, Richard A, Gombrich, Peter G., Mayer, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/926,182
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 359/396, 359/391, 359/397, 359/398, 356/72
• US Class Current: 359/396
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/34 Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/365 Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence

Abstract

A system for managing specimens in a clinical laboratory comprises specimens and a computer controlled instrument. Each specimen includes a biological sample and an identifier which is unique to the specimen to which it is applied. The computer controlled instrument includes a reader for automatically logging and verifying the specimen to be analyzed, and a print head for modifying the identifier to indicate whether the specimen has been analyzed and whether the sample includes any abnormalities. The print head is also used to indicate whether the specimen has been reanalyzed. Further, the print head works to print symbols adjacent the locations of the abnormalities in the sample.

Claims

1. A specimen management system comprising:

a plurality of specimens, each specimen including a first region with a biological sample to be analyzed and a second region with an identifier, said identifier being physically located on the specimen and having a code that is unique to said specimen;

a computerized instrument for analyzing said biological samples and stoning data from each said analysis;

a reader coupled with said computerized instrument for reading said identifier so that said stored data is electronically associated with said code; and

a modifying device coupled with said computerized instrument for physically and visually modifying said identifiers to indicate on said specimen at least one aspect of said analysis.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, in which said identifier is indicia printed on said specimen.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, in which said indicia includes a bar code.

4. A system in accordance with claim 2, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether the specimen has been analyzed.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether abnormalities are present in the sample.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether the specimen has been reanalyzed.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether the specimen has been reanalyzed by a pathologist.

8. A system in accordance with claim 2, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether the specimen has been analyzed by a pathologist.

9. A system in accordance with claim 2, in which said modifying device is a printer which prints additional indicia on said specimen to modify said identifier.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, in which said printer is coupled to said computer for automatically marking said specimen with at least one visual mark to indicate the presence of abnormalities.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, in which said visual mark is located adjacent each abnormality.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, in which said specimen includes a slide and a cover slip for supporting and protecting said sample.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, in which said identifier is modified with a visual mark adjacent to said sample to indicate the presence of abnormalities in said sample.

14. A system in accordance with claim 10, in which said identifier is modified with said visual mark adjacent said sample to indicate the presence of abnormalities in the sample.

15. A system in accordance with claim 1, in which said identifier includes an electronic identification tag which includes a code which is unique for each specimen.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1, in which said sample is a biological sample and said computerized instrument is a computer controlled microscope.

17. A system in accordance with claim 1, in which said modifying device modifies the identifier to indicate the status of the analysis.

18. A specimen management system comprising:

a plurality of specimens, each said specimen including a first region with a biological sample to be examined and a second region with an indicia identifier, said identifier being physically located on the specimen having a code unique to said specimen;

a microscope apparatus for examining said specimens;

a computer for controlling the operations of said microscope apparatus;

means for electronically marking any abnormalities found in said samples during said examinations; and

a printer coupled to said computer for automatically marking said specimens with at least one visual mark in said first region adjacent each abnormality and at least one visual mark in said second region to modify the identifier to indicate the presence of abnormalities.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, in which said specimen includes a slide and a cover slip for supporting and protecting said sample.

20. A computer controlled microscope apparatus for examining a biological sample on a specimen, said apparatus comprising:

a specimen handling device for supporting a specimen for movement, said specimen including a biological sample and an identifier being physically located on the specimen having a code unique to said specimen;

a reader for reading the identifier;

means for electronically storing the code of the identifier;

a microscope device for analyzing the sample;

means for electronically storing data from said analysis of said sample such that said data is electronically associated with said stored code; and

a modifying device for physically and visually modifying said identifier to indicate at least one aspect of said analysis of said sample.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, in which said identifier is in the form of indicia.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, in which said indicia includes a bar code which is unique to said specimen.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether the specimen has been analyzed.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, in which said identifier is modified to further include indicia to visually indicate whether abnormalities are present in the sample.

25. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, in which said modifying device is a printer.

26. A process for managing specimens examined by an operator with a computer controlled microscope apparatus, said process comprising:

providing a specimen including a biological sample and an identifier being physically located on the specimen having a code unique to said specimen;

reading said identifier and electronically storing said code;

examining said sample with a computer controlled microscope apparatus and electronically storing data from said examination such that said data is electronically associated with said stored code; and

physically and visually modifying said identifier to indicate at least one aspect of said examination.

27. A process in accordance with claim 26, in which said identifier includes a bar code.

28. A process in accordance with claim 26, in which said sample is examined for abnormalities.

29. A process in accordance with claim 26, in which said identifier is modified to visually indicate whether the specimen has been examined.

30. A process in accordance with claim 29, in which said identifier is further modified to visually indicate whether any abnormalities are present in the sample.