Method for detecting fluorescent signals in a biological sample

Abstract

A method for automated microscopic analysis wherein the test protocol is obtained from interrogatable data affixed to each microscope slide. The method further comprises the algorithms that implement the test protocol.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining a slide containing electronically interrogatable data recorded therewith and having a biological sample thereon;   reading said electronically-interrogatable data from said slide;   determining from said electronically-interrogatable data how said biological sample is to be scanned by an automated microscope;   scanning with a automated microscope said slide in the manner dictated by the electronically interrogatable data recorded therewith; and   determining from said scans a test outcome indicative of a state of said biological sample.   
     
     
         2 . A method of microscopic analysis comprising:
 providing an automated microscope comprising a slide stage, at least one objective lens, image capturing means, programmable means for operating the microscope according to a protocol, and programmable means for providing an analytical outcome;   providing a microscope slide containing a sample and interrogatable data thereon, wherein the interrogatable data provide information related to a protocol for analysis of said sample;   interrogating the data;   positioning the slide on the slide stage;   causing the microscope to analyze the sample in accordance with the analytical protocol encoded in the interrogatable data; and   causing the microscope to provide an analytical outcome representing the sample.   
     
     
         3 . The method described in  claim 2  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises obtaining the protocol identified by interrogating the data from a database comprising on or more identifiable protocols. 
     
     
         4 . The method described in  claim 2  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises causing the microscope to focus on the sample or on a focal plane contained within the sample. 
     
     
         5 . The method described in  claim 2  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises obtaining an image of the sample. 
     
     
         6 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein obtaining the image comprises obtaining an image scan using a lens having a low magnification;
 selecting a portion of the low magnification scan for scanning an image at using a lens having a high magnification; 
 obtaining an image scan at the high magnification; and 
 optimizing the high magnification scan. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method for high throughput microscopic analysis comprising:
 (a) providing an automated microscope comprising a slide stage, at least one objective lens, at least one slide cassette containing at least one microscope slide therein, programmable means for operating the microscope according to a protocol, and programmable means for providing an analytical outcome;   (b) providing a plurality of microscope slides each containing a sample and interrogatable data thereon, wherein the plurality of slides is contained in one or more of said slide cassettes, wherein the interrogatable data provide information related to a protocol for analysis of said sample;   (c) transporting a first cassette into a position suitable for transporting a slide to said microscope stage;   (d) transporting a first slide from the first cassette to said microscope stage;   (e) interrogating the data found on said first slide; ( 0  positioning said first slide on the slide stage;   (g) causing the microscope to analyze the sample on said first slide in accordance with the analytical protocol encoded in the interrogatable data;   (h) causing the microscope to provide an analytical outcome representing the sample on said first slide;   (i) if there remains another slide to be analyzed in said first cassette repeating steps (d) to (h); and   (j) if there remains another cassette repeating steps (c) to (i).   
     
     
         8 . The method described in  claim 7  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises obtaining the protocol identified by interrogating the data from a database comprising on or more identifiable protocols. 
     
     
         9 . The method described in  claim 7  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises causing the microscope to focus on the sample or on a focal plane contained within the sample. 
     
     
         10 . The method described in  claim 7  wherein causing the microscope to analyze the sample comprises obtaining an image of the sample. 
     
     
         11 . The method described in  claim 10  wherein obtaining the image comprises:
 obtaining an image scan using a lens having a low magnification; 
 selecting a portion of the low magnification scan for scanning an image using a lens having a high magnification; 
 obtaining an image scan at the high magnification; and 
 optimizing the high magnification scan. 
 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer for a method of microscopic analysis using an automated microscope comprising a slide stage, at least one objective lens, image capturing means, programmable means for operating the microscope according to a protocol, and programmable means for providing an analytical outcome;
 wherein the program comprises:   a set of instructions for interrogating data on a microscope slide wherein the interrogatable data provide information related to a protocol for analysis of a sample included on said slide;   a set of instructions for positioning the slide on the slide stage;   an analyzing set of instructions for causing the microscope to analyze the sample in accordance with the analytical protocol encoded in the interrogatable data; and   a set of instructions for causing the microscope to provide an analytical outcome representing the sample.   
     
     
         13 . The storage medium described in  claim 12  further comprising a database comprising one or more identifiable programmed protocols for analyzing a sample on a microscope slide. 
     
     
         14 . The storage medium described in  claim 13  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for obtaining the protocol identified by interrogating the data from the database. 
     
     
         15 . The storage medium described in  claim 12  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for causing the microscope to focus on the sample or on a focal plane contained within the sample. 
     
     
         16 . The storage medium described in  claim 12  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for obtaining an image of the sample. 
     
     
         17 . The storage medium described in  claim 16  wherein the instructions for obtaining the image comprise:
 instructions for obtaining an image scan using a microscope lens having a low magnification; 
 instructions for selecting a portion of the low magnification scan for scanning an image using a microscope lens having a high magnification; 
 instructions for obtaining an image scan at the high magnification; and instructions for optimizing the high magnification scan. 
 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer for a method of high throughput microscopic analysis wherein the method uses an automated microscope comprising a slide stage, at least one objective lens, at least one slide cassette containing at least one microscope slide therein, programmable means for operating the microscope according to a protocol, and programmable means for providing an analytical outcome;
 wherein the program comprises:   (a) a set of instructions for transporting a first cassette into a position suitable for transporting a slide to said microscope stage;   (b) a set of instructions for transporting a first slide from the first cassette to said microscope stage;   (c) a set of instructions for interrogating data on a microscope slide wherein the interrogatable data provide information related to a protocol for analysis of a sample included on said slide;   (d) a set of instructions for positioning the slide on a slide stage;   (e) an analyzing set of instructions for causing the microscope to analyze the sample in accordance with the analytical protocol encoded in the interrogatable data;   (f) a set of instructions for causing the microscope to provide an analytical outcome representing the sample;   (g) a set of instructions for determining whether there remains another slide to be analyzed in said first cassette and if so repeating the instructions in (b) to (f); and   (h) a set of instructions for determining whether there remains another cassette and if so repeating instructions in (a) to (g).   
     
     
         19 . The storage medium described in  claim 18  further comprising a database comprising one or more identifiable programmed protocols for analyzing a sample on a microscope slide. 
     
     
         20 . The storage medium described in  claim 19  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for obtaining the protocol identified by interrogating the data from the database. 
     
     
         21 . The storage medium described in  claim 18  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for causing the microscope to focus on the sample or on a focal plane contained within the sample. 
     
     
         22 . The storage medium described in  claim 18  wherein the analyzing set comprises instructions for obtaining an image of the sample. 
     
     
         23 . The storage medium described in  claim 22  wherein the instructions for obtaining the image comprise:
 instructions for obtaining an image scan using a lens having a low magnification; 
 instructions for selecting a portion of the low magnification scan for scanning an image using a lens having a high magnification; 
 instructions for obtaining an image scan at the high magnification; and instructions for optimizing the high magnification scan. 
 
     
     
         24 . A method comprising:
 obtaining a slide containing electronically interrogatable data recorded therewith and having a biological sample thereon;   reading said electronically-interrogatable data from said slide;   determining from said electronically-interrogatable data how said biological sample is to be scanned by an automated microscope;   scanning with an automated microscope said slide in the manner dictated by the electronically-interrogatable data recorded therewith; and   determining from said scans a test outcome, indicative of a said biological sample.