The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 03, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1994
Robert R Alfano, Bronx, NY (US);
Cheng H Liu, Flushing, NY (US);
Wei L Sha, New York, NY (US);
Yury Budansky, Oakland, NJ (US);
Other;
Abstract
A technique for determining whether a cell is malignant as opposed to non-malignant using extrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy. The technique is premised on the principle that certain fluorescent dyes preferentially stain malignant cells as opposed to non-malignant cells. Accordingly, by exposing a cell to the fluorescent dye, irradiating the cell with light of such a wavelength as to cause the dye to fluoresce, measuring the intensity of fluorescence at a wavelength indicative of fluorescence of the dye, and comparing the fluorescence intensity to standards obtained from malignant cells and non-malignant cells, it is possible for one to accurately classify the cell as being either malignant or non-malignant. The present invention also relates to an automated system which applies the principles of the aforementioned technique to depict the spatial distribution of cells within an area of a Pap smear-type sample and to characterize each of the cells as being malignant or non-malignant.