Method and apparatus for performing cell analysis based on simultaneous multiple marker emissions from neoplasia (CASMMEN)
First Claim
1. An imaging system for detecting the presence of organic substances in a sample, at least certain types of the organic substances being bound with specific types of fluorescent materials, the imaging system comprising:
- a tunable excitation source for illuminating at least a portion of the sample with at least one excitation wavelength for causing one or more of the fluorescent materials to emit their respective characteristic wavelengths;
a photodetector array disposed for detecting the emitted characteristic wavelengths, said photodetector array being responsive to detecting said emitted characteristic wavelengths for outputting signals corresponding to detected ones of the emitted characteristic wavelengths;
an output-user interface; and
processing means coupled to an output of said photodetector array and to said output-user interface, said processing means being responsive to receiving at least one of said signals output by said photodetector array for controlling said output-user interface to generate a user-perceptible indicator indicating that at least one of said organic substances is present within the sample.
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Abstract
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for determining whether one or more organic substances, namely, proteins (42) and associated cancer cells (40'"'"'), are present in a sample (4a). The method comprises a step of deploying a plurality of fluorescent materials (40) in the tissue sample, individual ones of the plurality of fluorescent materials (40) being selected for coupling to a specific type of substance (42) of interest. The fluorescent materials (40) generally emit characteristic wavelengths in response to being illuminated with excitation light (14a'"'"'-14c'"'"') having predetermined excitation wavelengths. A next step includes illuminating the sample (4a) with the excitation light (14a'"'"'-14c'"'"'). The excitation light (14a'"'"'-14c'"'"') causes any of the fluorescent materials (40) that are disposed within the illuminated portion of the sample (4a), and which are responsive to the excitation wavelengths, to emit their characteristic wavelengths. Further steps include simultaneously detecting the presence of the emitted characteristic wavelengths, and, in response to detecting the presence of the emitted characteristic wavelengths, indicating that at least one of the substances (42) is present within the sample (4a). The invention enables the sample (4a) to be analyzed for the presence of multiple types of proteins (42) and associated cancer cells (40'"'"') simultaneously, using either a narrow band or broad band of excitation wavelengths. The invention also enables the proteins (42) and cancer cells (40'"'"') to be identified using a spectral and temporal analysis. These identifications are made regardless of whether or not the fluorescent materials (40) emit similar or different wavelengths.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An imaging system for detecting the presence of organic substances in a sample, at least certain types of the organic substances being bound with specific types of fluorescent materials, the imaging system comprising:
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a tunable excitation source for illuminating at least a portion of the sample with at least one excitation wavelength for causing one or more of the fluorescent materials to emit their respective characteristic wavelengths; a photodetector array disposed for detecting the emitted characteristic wavelengths, said photodetector array being responsive to detecting said emitted characteristic wavelengths for outputting signals corresponding to detected ones of the emitted characteristic wavelengths; an output-user interface; and processing means coupled to an output of said photodetector array and to said output-user interface, said processing means being responsive to receiving at least one of said signals output by said photodetector array for controlling said output-user interface to generate a user-perceptible indicator indicating that at least one of said organic substances is present within the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An imaging system for detecting the presence of organic substances in a sample, at least certain types of the organic substances being bound with specific types of fluorescent materials, the imaging system comprising:
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an output user-interface; a tunable excitation source for illuminating at least a portion of said sample with at least one excitation wavelength for causing one or more of the fluorescent materials to emit their respective characteristic wavelengths; means for spatially dispersing the emitted characteristic wavelengths as a function of wavelength; a photodetector array disposed for simultaneously detecting dispersed ones of the emitted characteristic wavelengths, and for outputting signals corresponding to detected ones of these dispersed emitted characteristic wavelengths; and processing means coupled to an output of said photodetector array and to said output user-interface, said processing means being responsive to receiving at least one of said signals output by said photodetector array for controlling said output user-interface for generating an indicator indicating that at least one of said organic substances is present within the sample.
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Specification