Cytological imaging system and method

• US 6,665,060 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zelinski, Matthew S., Maenle, Garrick L., Fleming, Mark, Dolash, Thomas, Laudo, John, Zahniser, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra V.
• Application Number:
  US09/430,117
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39, 356/432, 436/63, 436/46, 436/164, 436/166, 422/68.1, 422/82.05, 422/82.09
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/30 Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/147 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1472 with colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1488 Methods for deciding
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3151 using two sources of radiation of different wavelengths G01N21/33 - G01N21/39 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to the analysis of cytological material. Specifically, the invention relates to stains and methods of producing the stains, methods of staining cells for cytological or histological analysis to contrast the nuclear portion of the cell from the cytoplasmic portion, and systems and methods for illuminating a cytological sample. The analysis can be automated or manual.

Claims

1. An optical instrument lighting system, comprising:

a light source having a first narrow band wavelength for verifying a stain used on a cytological sample; and

the light source having a second narrow band wavelength for viewing the cytological sample, wherein the first narrow band wavelength is different from the second narrow band wavelength.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a red LED.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a green LED.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an array of multiple green LEDs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength is between about 690 nm and about 750 nm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wavelength is between about 500 nm and about 600 nm.

7. An LED array for use with a system for imaging a stained cytological sample, the imaging system comprising:

a red LED for verifying the stained sample was stained with a predetermined stain; and

a green LED for illuminating the cytological sample for imaging.

8. The LED array of claim 7, comprising multiple green LEDs.

9. The LED array of claim 7, wherein the LED array operates on low voltage.

10. The LED array of claim 7, wherein the LED array operates on 5 volts DC.

11. The LED array of claim 7, comprising multiple red LEDs.

12. The LED array of claim 7, comprising multiple red LEDs and multiple green LEDs.

13. The LED array of claim 12, comprising nine LEDs.

14. The LED array of claim 7, wherein the LEDs are mounted on a single substrate.

15. A system for imaging a cytological sample including nuclear material and cytoplasmic material, the system comprising:

an optical instrument; and

a light source comprising;

a first narrow band wavelength for verifying that the sample was stained with a specific stain, wherein the specific stain transmits light at a wavelength of about 720 nm and

a second narrow band wavelength for imaging the sample, wherein the nuclear material transmits light at a wavelength of about 570 nm and the cytoplasmic material is generally minimally visible to the system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the stain is about a 0.3% thionin solution.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the cytoplasmic material is visible to an observer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first narrow band wavelength is different from the second narrow band wavelength.

18. A method for imaging a cell, the method comprising the steps of:

staining nuclear material of the cell;

staining cytoplasmic material of the cell;

illuminating the cell with a first narrow band wavelength for verifying that a specific stain was used; and

illuminating the cell with a second, narrow band wavelength to image the nuclear material.

20. A method of imaging a stained cell having nuclear material, the method comprising steps of:

illuminating the stained cell with a first narrow band wavelength for verifying that a specific stain was used; and

illuminating the stained cell with a second narrow band wavelength to image the nuclear material.