Neopath, Inc.

Mikel D Rosenlof

Chih-Chau L Kuan

Shih-Jong James Lee

Robert C Schmidt

Coverslip detection locating all four coverslip edges. A field of view processor receives image data from a charge coupled device camera. The charge coupled device camera images a slide and coverslip that is mounted on a movable frame. The slide and coverslip are illuminated from below with a uniform light source. The moveable frame is under computer control and moves in response to the field of view processor. The field of view processor locates the coverslip by first positioning the movable frame to view a portion of the slide on a predetermined potion of the slide within a predetermined area of the slide. The slide is then re-imaged after the movable frame moves the slide toward a chosen edge of direction. Edge type objects are located and followed over multiple fields of view. If the edge object satisfies a set of predetermined criteria the coverslip edge has been found. The edge is extended to find all four corners of the coverslip. The edge objects are processed using morphological operators.

Method and apparatus for detecting a microscope slide coverslip

Field of views of a slide are examined to assess the likelihood of existence of detectable single cells, groups, and thick groups of cells to locate objects of interest by an automated microscope. The FOV features consists of features selected from the distribution profiles of size, shape, layout arrangement, texture and density of all objects within a FOV which are compared against pre-determined criteria. Each field of view is assigned a likelihood value based on FOV features. Areas that are blank, or contain air bubbles, or are too dense for analysis are identified and excluded for further analysis. Each FOV is ranked according to its likelihood of containing SIL (Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion) cells or cell groups of interest. These results, such as SIL, single cell ranking, group ranking are used to arrange the further examination of FOVs in a priority order.

Field prioritization apparatus and method

The detection of bubbles in coverslip adhesive. Bubbles in coverslip adhesive may span large areas of the coverslip. An automated cytology system acquires 4 x gray scale images of the slide. Image conditioning is then performed. The conditioned gray scale image is binomially filtered providing a binomial filtered image. The gray scale image is subtracted from the binomial filtered image to produce a high pass enhanced image. An object mask detection is then performed on the high pass enhanced image. Objects are classified to identify bubble edgest. Multiple detections of bubble edges are pieced together to detect bubbles much larger than the area covered by a single image from the detector and the microscope lens. Bubbles are located even if low level image analysis shows gaps in the edges. The cytological system fills in significant gaps in the detected bubble edges. The result is then used for further processing by the automated cytology system.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Mikel D Rosenlof