Automated high volume slide processing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological tissue samples, comprising:
- performing a set of slide processing operations on the plurality of slides in one or more workstations while the slides in the plurality are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, wherein the set of slide processing operations includes at leaststaining samples on the slides in the spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions by flowing one or more stains from at least one reagent container, through a fluidics module, and out at least one dispense nozzle positioned above the slide tray, andsolvent-exchanging;
transporting the slide tray holding the plurality of slides to an automated coverslipper workstation after performing the set of slide processing operations that include at least staining and solvent-exchange;
coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with separate respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation while the plurality of slides are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in the slide tray such that the coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another; and
removing the slide tray holding the coverslipped slides from the automated coverslipper workstation.
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Abstract
An automated system is provided for performing slide processing operations on slides bearing biological samples. In one embodiment, the disclosed system includes a slide tray holding a plurality of slides in a substantially horizontal position and a workstation that receives the slide tray. In a particular embodiment, a workstation delivers a reagent to slide surfaces without substantial transfer of reagent (and reagent borne contaminants such as dislodged cells) from one slide to another. A method for automated processing of slides also is provided.
303 Citations
58 Claims
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1. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological tissue samples, comprising:
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performing a set of slide processing operations on the plurality of slides in one or more workstations while the slides in the plurality are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, wherein the set of slide processing operations includes at least staining samples on the slides in the spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions by flowing one or more stains from at least one reagent container, through a fluidics module, and out at least one dispense nozzle positioned above the slide tray, and solvent-exchanging; transporting the slide tray holding the plurality of slides to an automated coverslipper workstation after performing the set of slide processing operations that include at least staining and solvent-exchange; coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with separate respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation while the plurality of slides are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in the slide tray such that the coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another; and removing the slide tray holding the coverslipped slides from the automated coverslipper workstation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological tissue samples, wherein the slides are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, comprising:
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de-paraffinizing, staining and solvent exchanging the samples on the slides in the slide tray in a single modular workstation, wherein staining the samples includes flowing one or more stains out of at least one reagent container, through a fluidics module, and out at least one dispense nozzle positioned above the slide tray; transporting the slide tray to an automated coverslipper; and applying separate glass coverslips over the samples on the slides in the automated coverslipper, wherein the slides are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in the slide tray as the glass coverslips are applied such that the glass coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological tissue samples, wherein the slides are held in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray during processing, comprising:
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(i) baking the samples under a radiant heater; (ii) de-paraffinizing the samples; (iii) staining the samples by delivering one or more stains through one or more fluidic components and out one or more nozzles positioned generally above the slide tray, wherein the one or more fluidic components fluidically connect at least one reagent container holding the one or more stains to the one or more nozzles; (iv) solvent-exchanging the samples; and (v) coverslipping the samples with separate coverslips, wherein the aforementioned steps are automatically performed by an apparatus comprising two or more workstations between which the slide tray holding the slides is moved during processing. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological samples, comprising:
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performing a set of slide processing operations on the plurality of slides in one or more workstations while the slides in the plurality are held in substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, wherein the set of slide processing operations includes at least staining and solvent-exchanging, wherein staining comprises treating the slides with a hematoxylin solution and an eosin solution by flowing the hematoxylin solution and the eosin solution from one or more reagent containers to at least one dispense nozzle via a fluidics module; transporting the slide tray holding the plurality of slides to an automated coverslipper workstation; and
,coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation while the plurality of slides are held in the substantially horizontal positions by the slide tray such that the coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological samples, comprising:
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performing a set of slide processing operations on the plurality of slides in one or more workstations while the slides in the plurality are held in substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, wherein the set of slide processing operations includes at least staining and solvent-exchanging, wherein staining comprises treating the slides with a hematoxylin solution, an Orange-G solution and an Eosin-azure solution by delivering the hematoxylin solution, the Orange-G solution and the Eosin-azure solution through a fluidics module which controls delivery of the hematoxylin solution, the Orange-G solution and the Eosin-azure solution to one or more dispense nozzles positioned above the slide tray; transporting the slide tray holding the plurality of slides to an automated coverslipper workstation; and
,coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with separate respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation while the plurality of slides are held in substantially horizontal positions by the slide tray such that the coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological samples, comprising:
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performing a set of slide processing operations on the plurality of slides in one or more workstations while the slides in the plurality are held in substantially horizontal positions in a slide tray, wherein the set of slide processing operations includes at least staining samples on the slides by flowing one or more stains from at least one reagent container, through a fluidics module, and out at least one dispense nozzle, and solvent-exchanging; transporting the slide tray holding the plurality of slides to an automated coverslipper workstation; coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with separate respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation while the plurality of slides are held in the substantially horizontal positions by the slide tray such that the coverslips on the slides are spaced apart from one another; and
,processing simultaneously the plurality of slide trays holding slides wherein said processing comprises prioritizing any given slide tray and wherein all operations on a prioritized slide tray are completed first. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An automated method for processing a plurality of slides bearing biological tissue samples, comprising:
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positioning a slide tray carrying a plurality of slides in a staining workstation, wherein the slide tray holds the slides in spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions, wherein a fluidics module fluidically connects a plurality of reagent containers to the staining workstation; sequentially staining samples on the slides held in the spatially co-planar, substantially horizontal positions by flowing one or more stains out of one or more of the reagent containers, through the fluidics module, and out at least one dispense nozzle of the staining workstation positioned generally above the slide tray; transporting the slide tray holding the slides to an automated coverslipper workstation after performing the staining; and coverslipping the plurality of slides held in the slide tray with separate respective coverslips using the automated coverslipper workstation.
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Specification