Method and apparatus for preparing cytological specimens

• US 6,572,824 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tenney, Douglas A., Jennings, Robert E., Vartanian, Hugh, Capriccio, Lewis A., Levkoff, Bruce, OʼConnell, Edward, Ostgaard, Roy A., Geiselman, Theodore S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, PATRICIA KATHRYN
• Application Number:
  US09/520,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 422/61, 422/67, 422/57, 422/63-65, 422/73, 422/100, 422/101, 435/287.1, 435/287.3, 436/518, 436/46-49, 436/177, 436/180, 700/235, 118/423, 118/425, 118/419
• US Class Current: 422/67
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5453 for test tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2813 Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on G01N1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00742 Type of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00772 mechanical or optical code other than bar code
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An automated system for preparing a plurality of cytological specimens from a plurality of fluid samples in vials includes an apparatus for collecting a monolayer of cells from each sample and transferring the cells to a microscope slide for fixing, staining, and inspection. The system includes a first loading station for receiving the sample vials, a second loading station for receiving consumables such as filter membranes, a slide dispenser, and an unloading area for removing completed specimen slides. To maintain one-to-one correlation between the samples and specimens produced therefrom, the system includes a subsystem for identifying each sample and permanently marking each slide with corresponding indicia prior to transferring the specimen thereto.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a specimen from a fluid sample comprising:

a processor;

an identifier in communication with the processor for reading and identifying indicia contained on a sample carrier corresponding to the sample carried by the sample carrier;

a marker in communication with the processor for marking an analytical element with indicia corresponding to the sample indicia;

a reader in communication with the processor for reading and identifying the element indicia, wherein the processor verifies whether the element indicia corresponds to the sample indicia; and

a specimen transferrer in communication with the processor for transferring a specimen from the sample carrier to the analytical element if the element indicia corresponds to the sample indicia, wherein the processor controls the transfer of the specimen from the sample carrier to the analytical element upon verification.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the sample comprises particles in a liquid suspension; and

the specimen transferrer collects a spatial distribution of the particles from the liquid suspension and disposes the collected particles on a stratum of the element.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the spatial distribution comprises substantially a monolayer and the stratum comprises a slide.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the specimen transferrer comprises:

a membrane for collecting the spatial distribution; and

means for breaching the membrane to prevent reuse of the membrane after the collected particles are disposed on the stratum.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the marker comprises an ink printer.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the marker first transfers ink to the element at a first location and then transfers ink to the element at a second location, wherein the second location is offset spatially from the first location.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sample indicia comprises a bar code.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the identifier comprises a bar code scanner.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the element indicia comprises an alphanumeric character.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the reader comprises an optical character recognition system.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample carrier comprises a sample vial.