System for tracking biological samples

• US 9,117,024 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: De La Torre-Bueno, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Dejong, Eric S
• Application Number:
  US11/641,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,171 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00138 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00742 Type of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00831 identification of the sample, e.g. patient identity, place of sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00841 results of the analyses
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 40/00 ICT specially adapted for biostatistics; ICT specially adapted for bioinformatics-related machine learning or data mining, e.g. knowledge discovery or pattern finding
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/00 ICT programming tools or database systems specially adapted for bioinformatics
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for the handling of biological specimens for analysis. The systems, methods and apparatus are designed to reduce errors in misidentification, incorrect processing, and recordkeeping and reporting. The systems, methods, and apparatus can also provide real time tracking of samples at any stage, from collection to processing to analyzing to storage.

Claims

1. A method for automated analysis of a biological sample, comprising:

a) providing a biological sample collected from at least one subject and at least one diagnostic analysis to be performed on the biological sample;

b) assigning a unique bar code identifier to the biological sample, wherein the unique bar code identifier remains assigned to only one individual biological sample;

c) transmitting information associating the unique barcode identifier with the biological sample and the at least one diagnostic analysis to a database stored on a server;

d) allowing a second user to obtain the information from the server of c);

e) performing the diagnostic analysis on the biological sample;

f) associating results of the at least one diagnostic analysis to the unique barcode designation;

g) communicating the associated results of the diagnostic analysis to at least one of the database stored on the server or a first user.

2. A method of testing a sample, comprising:

obtaining a sample of a biological material;

associating the sample with a unique barcode identifier, which represents the biological sample, wherein the unique bar code identifier remains associated with only one individual biological sample;

using an automatic barcode reader associated with a sample processing equipment, to read the unique barcode identifier; and

using the sample processing equipment to carry out an operation on the biological sample wherein the operation is associated with the unique barcode identifier, and associating the result of said operation with said unique identifier.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said sample processing equipment produces an image representative of said operation, and associates said image with said unique barcode identifier read by said automatic reader.

4. A method as in claim 3, further comprising sending at least part of said image to a reviewing workstation for a diagnosis.

5. A method as in claim 3, further comprising image processing said image.

6. A method as in claim 3, further comprising sending information indicative of said image and said unique barcode identifier to a remote database.

7. A method as in claim 2, further comprising maintaining a running list of all actions taken on said sample, said running list including times when said unique barcode identifier was used.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said running list comprises at least a time when the unique barcode identifier was accessed.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein said running list comprises at least a person who accessed said unique barcode identifier.

10. A method of testing a sample, comprising:

obtaining a sample of a biological material;

associating the sample with a unique barcode identifier, wherein the unique bar code identifier remains associated with only one individual biological sample;

electronically reading said unique barcode identifier and carrying out at least one test based on information obtained from a centralized database at a first location by processing equipment, and associating a first result of the test with said unique barcode identifier;

storing information about said first test in a centralized database;

electronically reading said unique barcode identifier and carrying out at least one second test at a second location by processing equipment, and associating a second result of the second test with said unique barcode identifier; and

storing information about said second test in a centralized database.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said information that is stored in said centralized database includes at least a time when the tests were carried out.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said information further includes information indicative of a person who carried out the test.