Illumination source for stained biological samples

• US 7,561,329 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zahniser, Michael, Parsons, Daniel, Zahniser, David
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/611,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 359368-390
• US Class Current: 359/385
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/086 for transillumination only

Abstract

A microscope illumination system includes a light source having at least four LED light sources, each LED source emitting light within a different portion of the visible spectrum. Each of the at least four LED light sources may be independently controllable. The resultant light emitted from the at least four LED sources substantially approximates that from an incandescent light source. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED, and at least one yellow LED. Other color combinations are also possible. The illumination may be positioned to place a sample holder such as a slide within the optical path of the light source. The system further includes an optical magnification system for magnifying an image of the biological sample. This may include a camera or traditional magnification optics.

Claims

1. An illumination system for stained biological specimens comprising:

an illumination source comprising a red LED light source, a green LED light source, a blue LED light source, and a plurality of yellow LED light sources arranged symmetrically in a ring around the red LED light source, the green LED light source, and the blue LED light source, each of the red LED light source, the green LED light source, the blue LED light source, and the plurality of yellow LED light sources being independently controllable, wherein the resultant light emitted from the red LED light source, the green LED light source, the blue LED light source, and the plurality of yellow LED light sources substantially approximates that from an incandescent light source, the illumination source configured to illuminate a biological specimen disposed on a slide;

an imaging system comprising a camera configured to capture images of the biological specimen; and

a pulse drive circuit configured to simultaneously drive the red LED light source, the green LED light source, the blue LED light source, and the plurality of yellow LED light sources in a pulsed manner, wherein the pulsed LED light is synchronized with the camera, the pulse drive circuit configured to alter the brightness of the red LED light source, the green LED light source, the blue LED light source, and the plurality of yellow LED light sources by pulse width modulation.

2. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the red LED light source, the green LED light source, the blue LED light source, and the plurality of yellow LED light sources are coupled to separate driver circuitries for adjusting the respective brightness of each color.

3. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the red LED light source emits light within the range of about 625 nm to about 660 nm.

4. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the blue LED light source emits light within the range of about 450 nm to about 500 nm.

5. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the green LED light source emits light within the range of about 480 nm to about 575 nm.

6. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of yellow LED light sources emit light within the range of about 575 nm to about 625 nm.

7. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the red LED light source, the green LED light source, and the blue LED light source are contained in a first module and the plurality of yellow LED light sources is contained in a second module.

8. A microscope illumination system comprising:

a light source comprising at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED, and a plurality of yellow LEDs surrounding in a symmetrical manner the at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED;

a sample holder disposed within the optical path of the light source, the sample holder configured to hold a microscope slide containing a biological sample;

a camera configured for magnifying an image of the biological sample;

a LED pulse drive circuit configured to simultaneously drive the at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED, and the plurality of yellow LEDs, the LED pulse drive circuit further configured to alter the brightness of the plurality of yellow LEDs by pulse width modulation; and

an external trigger configured to trigger the LED pulse drive circuit and the camera in a synchronized, pulsed manner.

9. The microscope illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED, and the plurality of yellow LEDs are mounted on a common substrate.

10. The microscope illumination system according to claim 8, further comprising control circuitry for modifying the brightness of the plurality of yellow LEDs with respect to the at least one red LED, the at least one green LED, and the at least one blue LED.

11. The microscope illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one red LED emits light within the range of about 625 nm to about 660 nm.

12. The microscope illumination system of claim 8, wherein the at least one blue LED emits light within the range of about 450 nm to about 500 nm.

13. The microscope illumination system of claim 8, wherein the at least one green LED emits light within the range of about 480 nm to about 575 nm.

14. The microscope illumination system of claim 8, wherein the at plurality of yellow LEDs emit light within the range of about 575 nm to about 625 nm.

15. A method of illuminating a biological sample disposed on a microscope slide comprising:

providing an illumination source including at least one red LED, at least one green LED, at least one blue LED, and a plurality of yellow LEDs arranged in a ring surrounding the at least one red LED, the at least one green LED, and the at least one blue LED;

providing the biological sample disposed on the microscope slide in the optical path of the illumination source;

providing an imaging system comprising a camera configured to acquire image frames of the biological sample disposed on the microscope slide;

illuminating the biological sample with the at least one red LED, the at least one green LED, the at least one blue LED, and the plurality of yellow LEDs simultaneously in a pulsed mode;

obtaining images of the biological sample disposed on the microscope slide with the camera, wherein the pulsing of the at least one red LED, the at least one green LED, the at least one blue LED, and the plurality of yellow LEDs is synchronized with the camera; and

adjusting the brightness of the plurality of yellow LEDs by altering the pulse width modulation of the plurality of yellow LEDs.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the brightness of the plurality of yellow LEDs is adjusted relative to the remaining LEDs.