Systems for analyzing microtissue arrays
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- capturing an image of a tissue microarray at a first magnification, the tissue microarray including a plurality of disks, each disk including a sample of a biological specimen;
locating a first group of disks from the plurality of disks using one or more visual features of the first group of disks, the locating comprising;
generating a disk template that is substantially the same size as the disks in the captured image;
matching the template to the said one or more visual features of said first group of disks; and
determining the coordinates of candidate disk cores;
identifying a grid defined by the first group of disks by locating rows and columns connecting said candidate disk cores;
locating a second group of disks from the plurality of disks using grid intersections in the identified grid to locate disks which were not located using said template and at positions that do not include the one or more visual features of the first group of disks;
capturing an image of each one of the first group of disks and the second group of disks at a second magnification; and
storing the captured images.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The systems described herein autonomously image, analyze, and store date for samples in a tissue microarray. The system may include a tissue microarray, a robotic microscope, and an imaging workstation that executes software to automatically control operation of the microscope to capture images from the microarray and analyze image results. A low magnification may be used to register samples within the microarray and obtain coordinates for each tissue specimen. Progressively higher magnifications may be used to analyze images of each registered specimen. Images and quantitative data from the images may then be stored in a relational database for subsequent review. The system may be local, or may be Web-based for distributed control and sharing of results.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of:
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capturing an image of a tissue microarray at a first magnification, the tissue microarray including a plurality of disks, each disk including a sample of a biological specimen; locating a first group of disks from the plurality of disks using one or more visual features of the first group of disks, the locating comprising; generating a disk template that is substantially the same size as the disks in the captured image; matching the template to the said one or more visual features of said first group of disks; and determining the coordinates of candidate disk cores; identifying a grid defined by the first group of disks by locating rows and columns connecting said candidate disk cores; locating a second group of disks from the plurality of disks using grid intersections in the identified grid to locate disks which were not located using said template and at positions that do not include the one or more visual features of the first group of disks; capturing an image of each one of the first group of disks and the second group of disks at a second magnification; and storing the captured images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 28)
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14. A computer readable medium coded with machine-executable instructions for causing a data processing apparatus to perform a method comprising the steps of:
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controlling an imaging device to capture an image of a tissue microarray at a first magnification, the tissue microarray including a plurality of disks, each disk including a sample of a biological specimen; locating a first group of disks from the plurality of disks using one or more visual features of the first group of disks, the locating comprising; generating a disk template that is substantially the same size as the disks in the captured image; matching the template to the said one or more visual features of said first group of disks; and determining the coordinates of candidate disk cores; identifying a grid defined by the first group of disks by locating rows and columns connecting said candidate disk cores; locating a second group of disks from the plurality of disks using grid intersections in the identified grid to locate disks which were not located using said template and at positions that do not include the one or more visual features of the first group of disks; controlling the imaging device to capture an image of each one of the first group of disks and the second group of disks at a second magnification; and storing the captured images. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system comprising:
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capturing means for capturing an image of a tissue microarray at a first magnification, the tissue microarray including a plurality of disks, each disk including a sample of a biological specimen; first locating means for locating a first group of disks from the plurality of disks using one or more visual features of the first group of disks, the first locating means comprising; means for generating a disk template that is substantially the same size as the disks in the captured image; means for matching the template to the said one or more visual features of said first group of disks; and means for determining the coordinates of candidate disk cores; identifying means for identifying a grid defined by the first group of disks by locating rows and columns connecting said candidate disk cores; second locating means for locating a second group of disks from the plurality of disks using grid intersections in the identified grid to locate disks which were not located using said template and at positions that do not include the one or more visual features of the first group of disks; the capturing means further for capturing an image of each one of the first group of disks and the second group of disks at a second magnification; and storing means for storing the captured images.
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22. A system comprising an imaging device and a computer, the imaging device responsive to control signals to provide images at a specified magnification and a specified location within a tissue microarray, and the computer providing the control signals to the imaging device and receiving the images provided by the imaging device, the computer being configured to locate a first group of disks from the plurality of disks using one or more visual features of the first group of disks on the tissue microarray within an image of the tissue microarray captured at a first magnification, the locating configuration comprising:
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generating a disk template that is substantially the same size as the disks in the captured image; matching the template to the said one or more visual features of said first group of disks; and determining the coordinates of candidate disk cores; the computer being configured to identify a grid defined by the first group of disks by locating rows and columns connecting said candidate disk cores; and the computer being further configured to locate a second group of disks on the tissue microarray using grid intersections in the identified grid to locate disks which were not located using said template and at positions that do not include the one or more visual feaures of the first group of disks. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification