Diagnostic scanning microscope for information-enriched qualitative histopathology
First Claim
1. A method of imaging a biological sample with a microscopic imaging system, comprising the following steps:
- providing a two-dimensional microscope array with a plurality of magnifying imaging systems disposed along a corresponding plurality of optical axes for imaging a sample onto a detector, said plurality of magnifying imaging systems being arranged in rows and configured to image respective sections of the sample;
providing a scanning mechanism for producing a relative movement between the microscope array and the sample;
operating the scanning mechanism along a linear direction of scan across the sample to produce an image of the sample from a plurality of image-forming signals corresponding to said plurality of magnifying imaging systems;
analyzing said plurality of image-forming signals to produce a measure of image-forming features in said image, wherein said measure is a statistically significant indicator of pathology in portions of said image; and
assigning a visually detectable marker to each of said portions of the image corresponding to image-forming signals that produced said measure;
wherein said rows of imaging systems are staggered with respect to said direction of scan, such that each of the magnifying imaging systems acquires image data corresponding to a respective continuous strip of the sample along said linear direction of scan of the scanning mechanism.
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Abstract
A microscope array with staggered rows of magnifying imaging systems is used to scan a biological tissue sample in a single linear pass to produce an image and corresponding optical-density data. A conventional computerized algorithm is used to identify, isolate and produce segmented images of nuclei contained in the image. The OD values corresponding to nuclear chromatin are used to identify numerical patterns known to have statistical significance in relation to the health condition of the biological tissue. These patterns are analyzed to detect pre-neoplastic changes in histologically normal-appearing tissue that suggest a risk for the development of a pre-malignant and a potentially malignant lesion. This information is then converted to a visually perceptible form incorporated into the image of the tissue sample and is displayed for qualitative analysis by a pathologist.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of imaging a biological sample with a microscopic imaging system, comprising the following steps:
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providing a two-dimensional microscope array with a plurality of magnifying imaging systems disposed along a corresponding plurality of optical axes for imaging a sample onto a detector, said plurality of magnifying imaging systems being arranged in rows and configured to image respective sections of the sample; providing a scanning mechanism for producing a relative movement between the microscope array and the sample; operating the scanning mechanism along a linear direction of scan across the sample to produce an image of the sample from a plurality of image-forming signals corresponding to said plurality of magnifying imaging systems; analyzing said plurality of image-forming signals to produce a measure of image-forming features in said image, wherein said measure is a statistically significant indicator of pathology in portions of said image; and assigning a visually detectable marker to each of said portions of the image corresponding to image-forming signals that produced said measure; wherein said rows of imaging systems are staggered with respect to said direction of scan, such that each of the magnifying imaging systems acquires image data corresponding to a respective continuous strip of the sample along said linear direction of scan of the scanning mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for imaging a biological sample with a microscopic imaging system, comprising:
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a two-dimensional microscope array with a plurality of magnifying imaging systems disposed along a corresponding plurality of optical axes for imaging a sample onto a detector, said plurality of magnifying imaging systems being arranged in rows and configured to image respective sections of the sample; a scanning mechanism for producing a relative movement between the microscope array and the sample along a linear direction of scan, so as to produce an image of the sample from a plurality of image-forming signals corresponding to said plurality of magnifying imaging systems; means for analyzing said plurality of image-forming signals to produce a measure of image-forming features in said image, wherein said measure is a statistically significant indicator of pathology in portions of the image; and means for assigning a visually detectable marker to each of said portions of the image corresponding to image-forming signals that produced said measure; wherein said rows of magnifying imaging systems are staggered with respect to said direction of scan, such that each of the imaging systems acquires image data corresponding to a respective continuous strip of the sample along said linear direction of scan of the scanning mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification