APERIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130162802 | Fully Automatic Rapid Microscope Slide Scanner - Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. The invention also provides a method for statically displaying sub-regions of this large digital image at different magnifications, together with a reduced magnification macro-image of the entire sample. The invention further provides a method for dynamically displaying, with or without operator interaction, portions of the contiguous digital image. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, all elements of the scanner are part of a single-enclosure that has a primary connection to the Internet or to a local intranet. In this embodiment, the preferred sample type is a microscope slide and the illumination and imaging optics are consistent with transmission mode optics optimized for diffraction-limited digital imaging. | 06-27-2013 |
20120281931 | Image Processing and Analysis Framework - A system and method for processing and analyzing virtual microscopy digital images (“digital slides”) is provided. The system comprises an algorithm server that accesses a plurality of image processing and analysis routines. The algorithm server additionally accesses a plurality of digital slides. The algorithm server executes a selected routine on an identified digital slide and provides the resulting data. The digital slide is accessed locally or remotely across a network. Similarly, the image processing and analysis routines are accessed locally or remotely across a network, or both. Advantageously, certain common sub-routines may be stored locally for inclusion in other local or remotely accessed routines. Use of image processing and analysis routines may be restricted through a monitor process that authenticates requests to process or view digital slides. Variations in restrictions to images provide rich diversity in access levels that allow sharing of digital slides and demonstrations of image processing algorithms. | 11-08-2012 |
20120275671 | System and Method to Determine Slide Quality of a Digitized Microscope Slide - A system that determines the quality of a digital microscope slide by analyzing digital slide images based on complexity and spatial frequencies. An example embodiment detailed in the application may provide visual feedback on the whole slide quality by overlaying the image with a color coded “heat map” of local area quality. A user provided with the overlap image may obtain both an absolute quality measurement for the whole image and quickly identity the quality variability within the slide. | 11-01-2012 |
20120269409 | SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO IN DIGITAL PATHOLOGY IMAGE ANALYSIS - A digital slide analysis system comprises an algorithm server that maintains or has access to a plurality of image processing and analysis routines. The algorithm server additionally has access to a plurality of digital slide images. The algorithm server executes a selected routine on an identified digital slide and provides the resulting data. Prior to the application of selected routine, the system employs a digital pre-processing module to create a metadata mask that reduces undesirable image data such that the image data processed by the selected routine has an improved signal to noise ratio. The pre-processing module uses a classifier that may be implemented as a pattern recognition module, for example. Undesirable image data is therefore excluded from the image data that is processed by the digital pathology image processing and analysis routine, which significantly improves the digital pathology image analysis. | 10-25-2012 |
20120243753 | System and Method for Assessing Image Interpretability in Anatomic Pathology - A portion of imagery data is obtained from a digital slide and a protocol of image analysis/diagnostic tasks is performed on the portion of imagery data by a pathologist or an image analysis module. The result of each task (e.g., success or no success) is recorded and a score is determined for the portion of the imagery data. Multiple portions of imagery data from the digital slide are analyzed and scored and the various scores from the multiple portions of imagery data are calculated to determine an overall score for the digital slide. Regions of the digital slide can be scored separately. Multiple rounds of scoring (by different pathologists and/or different image analysis algorithms) may be employed to increase the accuracy of the score for a digital slide or region thereof. | 09-27-2012 |
20120235994 | Viewing Three Dimensional Digital Slides - Systems and methods for retrieving, manipulating, and viewing 3D image objects from 3D virtual microscope slide images (“3D digital slides”) are provided. An image library module provides access to the imagery data in a 3D digital slide and constructs 3D image objects that are coextensive with the 3D digital slide or a 3D sub-portion thereof. From within the 3D image object, cross layer planar views spanning various depths of the 3D digital slide are constructed as well as 3D prisms and other shaped image areas. The image library module allows a 3D image object to be sliced into horizontal and vertical views, skewed cross layer views and regular and irregular shaped 3D image areas for viewing by a user. | 09-20-2012 |
20120207363 | System and Method for Quality Assurance in Pathology - Systems and methods for improving quality assurance in pathology using automated quality assessment and digital image enhancements on digital slides prior to analysis by the pathologist are provided. A digital pathology system (slide scanning instrument and software) creates, assesses and improves the quality of a digital slide. The improved digital slide image has a higher image quality that results in increased efficiency and accuracy in the analysis and diagnosis of such digital slides when they are reviewed on a monitor by a pathologist. These improved digital slides yield a more objective diagnosis than reading the corresponding glass slide under a microscope. | 08-16-2012 |
20120206589 | System and Method for Single Optical Axis Multi-Detector Microscope Slide Scanner - Systems and methods for microscope slide scanning using multiple sensor arrays that receive imagery data from a single optical axis are provided. A single, high quality, easily obtained microscope objective lens is used to project an image onto two or more sensor arrays. The sensor arrays can be linear or two dimensional and imaging takes place along a single optical axis. Simultaneous sensor acquisition and parallel data processing reduce the image acquisition time by a factor of N, where N represents the number of sensors employed. | 08-16-2012 |
20120114204 | Optimizing Virtual Slide Image Quality - Systems and methods for assessing and optimizing virtual microscope slide image quality are provided. In order to determine whether any of multiple virtual slide images has an out of focus area and is therefore a candidate for manual inspection or rescanning, various focus points used to scan each virtual slide image are used to calculate a best fit surface for each virtual slide image. The best fit surface is then used to determine whether any of the various focus points are outliers. If it is determined that a virtual slide image is associated with outlying focus points, it is identified as a candidate for manual inspection or rescanning. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113242 | Data Management in a Linear-Array-Based Microscope Slide Scanner - Systems and methods for processing, storing, and viewing extremely large imagery data rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner are provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the linear scanner as a series of overlapping image stripes and combines the data into a seamless and contiguous baseline image. The baseline image is logically mapped into a plurality of regions that are individually addressed to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the baseline image. The system enables dynamic imagery data compression while scanning and capturing new image stripes that eliminates the overhead associated with storing uncompressed image stripes. The system also creates intermediate level images, thereby organizing the baseline image into a variable level pyramid structure referred to as a virtual slide. The system facilitates the use of virtual slides in applications such as telemedicine, telepathology, microscopy education, and analysis of high value specimens like tissue arrays. | 05-10-2012 |
20120099769 | STORING AND RETRIEVING LARGE IMAGES VIA DICOM - Systems and methods that acquire digital slides and other large images and store these images into commercially available PACS systems using DICOM-standard messaging are provided. A digital slide or other large two-dimensional image is acquired and each separate resolution level of the digital slide or large image is divided into a series of regions that are each identified as a DICOM image. All of the regions at the same resolution in the digital slide or other large image are collectively identified as a DICOM series. A plurality of DICOM series, representing multiple resolution levels in a digital slide are collectively identified and stored as a DICOM study. | 04-26-2012 |
20120075457 | Fully Automatic Rapid Microscope Slide Scanner - Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. | 03-29-2012 |
20120014576 | Signal to Noise Ratio in Digital Pathology Image Analysis - A digital slide analysis system comprises an algorithm server that maintains or has access to a plurality of image processing and analysis routines. The algorithm server additionally has access to a plurality of digital slide images. The algorithm server executes a selected routine on an identified digital slide and provides the resulting data. Prior to the application of selected routine, the system employs a digital pre-processing module to create a metadata mask that reduces undesirable image data such that the image data processed by the selected routine has an improved signal to noise ratio. The pre-processing module uses a classifier that may be implemented as a pattern recognition module, for example. Undesirable image data is therefore excluded from the image data that is processed by the digital pathology image processing and analysis routine, which significantly improves the digital pathology image analysis. | 01-19-2012 |
20120011151 | System and Method for Managing Images Over a Network - Images created by one or more image acquisition devices are initially stored in remote data bases at one or more remote or satellite locations and copies of the images are subsequently transferred to a central server at a central storage location over a network and stored in a central data base. A common catalog listing local image files stored at the central data base and remote image files stored at one or more remote data bases is stored at the central location and is accessed by users to search for images. User requests for images associated with local image files result in transfer of the requested images by the central server to the user. User requests for images associated with remote image files are relayed by the central server to the associated remote location, and the requested images are then relayed to the user from the remote location via the central server. | 01-12-2012 |
20120002892 | Viewing Digital Slides - Virtual slide image data and corresponding information are stored in a data storage area on a virtual slide image server. A client viewer requests image data at a particular resolution. The image server obtains corresponding image data from the data storage area at a resolution nearest to the requested resolution. The image data is then sent to the client viewer. The client viewer receives the image data and scales the image data to the requested resolution prior to displaying the image data. | 01-05-2012 |
20110221882 | Data Management in a Linear-Array-Based Microscope Slide Scanner - Systems and methods for processing, storing, and viewing extremely large imagery data rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner are provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the linear scanner as a series of overlapping image stripes and combines the data into a seamless and contiguous baseline image. The baseline image is logically mapped into a plurality of regions that are individually addressed to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the baseline image. The system enables dynamic imagery data compression while scanning and capturing new image stripes that eliminates the overhead associated with storing uncompressed image stripes. The system also creates intermediate level images, thereby organizing the baseline image into a variable level pyramid structure referred to as a virtual slide. The system facilitates the use of virtual slides in applications such as telemedicine, telepathology, microscopy education, and analysis of high value specimens like tissue arrays. | 09-15-2011 |
20110141263 | Achieving Focus in a Digital Pathology System - Methods and apparatus are provided for computing focus information prior to scanning digital microscope slide data with a line scan camera. The methods include a point-focus procedure that works by moving the slide to the desired measurement location, moving the objective lens through a predefined set of height values, acquiring imagery data at each height, and determining the height of maximum contrast. The methods also include a ribbon-focus procedure whereby imagery data are acquired continuously, while the slide and objective lens are in motion. Both methods may be applied with either a static or a dynamic implementation. | 06-16-2011 |
20110115897 | Whole Slide Fluorescence Scanner - A whole slide fluorescence digital pathology system is provided that uses a monochrome TDI line scan camera, which is particularly useful in fluorescence scanning where the signal is typically much weaker than in brightfield microscopy. The system uses oblique brightfield illumination for fast and accurate tissue finding and employs a unique double sweep focus scoring and objective lens height averaging technique to identify focus points and create a focus map that can be followed during subsequent scanning to provide autofocusing capability. The system also scans and analyzes image data to determine the optimal line rate for the TDI line scan camera to use during subsequent scanning of the digital slide image and it also creates a light profile to compensate for loss of illumination light due to roll off. | 05-19-2011 |
20110090223 | CREATING AND VIEWING THREE DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL SLIDES - Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional digital slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. These two dimensional digital slide images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter. | 04-21-2011 |
20110044518 | Data Management in a Linear-Array-Based Microscope Slide Scanner - Systems and methods for processing, storing, and viewing extremely large imagery data rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner are provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the linear scanner as a series of overlapping image stripes and combines the data into a seamless and contiguous baseline image. The baseline image is logically mapped into a plurality of regions that are individually addressed to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the baseline image. The system enables dynamic imagery data compression while scanning and capturing new image stripes that eliminates the overhead associated with storing uncompressed image stripes. The system also creates intermediate level images, thereby organizing the baseline image into a variable level pyramid structure referred to as a virtual slide. The system facilitates the use of virtual slides in applications such as telemedicine, telepathology, microscopy education, and analysis of high value specimens like tissue arrays. | 02-24-2011 |
20110037847 | Fully Automatic Rapid Microscope Slide Scanner - Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. The invention also provides a method for statically displaying sub-regions of this large digital image at different magnifications, together with a reduced magnification macro-image of the entire sample. The invention further provides a method for dynamically displaying, with or without operator interaction, portions of the contiguous digital image. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, all elements of the scanner are part of a single-enclosure that has a primary connection to the Internet or to a local intranet. In this embodiment, the preferred sample type is a microscope slide and the illumination and imaging optics are consistent with transmission mode optics optimized for diffraction-limited digital imaging. | 02-17-2011 |
20100321387 | Viewing Three Dimensional Digital Slides - Systems and methods for retrieving, manipulating, and viewing 3D image objects from 3D virtual microscope slide images (“3D digital slides”) are provided. An image library module provides access to the imagery data in a 3D digital slide and constructs 3D image objects that are coextensive with the 3D digital slide or a 3D sub-portion thereof. From within the 3D image object, cross layer planar views spanning various depths of the 3D digital slide are constructed as well as 3D prisms and other shaped image areas. The image library module allows a 3D image object to be sliced into horizontal and vertical views, skewed cross layer views and regular and irregular shaped 3D image areas for viewing by a user. | 12-23-2010 |
20100260407 | Viewing Digital Slides - Virtual slide image data and corresponding information are stored in a data storage area on a virtual slide image server. A client viewer requests image data at a particular resolution. The image server obtains corresponding image data from the data storage area at a resolution nearest to the requested resolution. The image data is then sent to the client viewer. The client viewer receives the image data and scales the image data to the requested resolution prior to displaying the image data. | 10-14-2010 |
20100177166 | Creating and Viewing Three Dimensional Virtual Slides - Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter. | 07-15-2010 |
20100141753 | Optimizing Virtual Slide Image Quality - Systems and methods for assessing and optimizing virtual microscope slide image quality are provided. In order to determine whether a virtual slide image has any out of focus areas and is therefore a candidate for manual inspection, the various focus points used to scan the virtual slide image are used to calculate a best fit surface for the virtual slide image. The distance of each focus point from the best fit surface is then calculated and the largest distance is compared to a predetermined value. If the largest distance from a focus point to the best fit surface is larger than the predetermined value, then the virtual slide image is designated as needing a manual inspection and possible re-scan. | 06-10-2010 |
20100027856 | Method for Pre-focus of Digital Slides - Methods and apparatus are provided for computing focus information prior to scanning digital microscope slides with a line scan camera. The methods include a point-focus procedure that works by moving the slide to the desired measurement location, moving the objective lens through a predefined set of height values, acquiring imagery data at each height, and determining the height of maximum contrast. The methods also include a ribbon-focus procedure whereby imagery data are acquired continuously, while the slide and objective lens are in motion. Both methods may be applied with either a static or a dynamic implementation. | 02-04-2010 |
20090303321 | System and Computer Readable Medium for Pre-focus of Digital Slides - Methods and apparatus are provided for computing focus information prior to scanning digital microscope slides with a line scan camera. The methods include a point-focus procedure that works by moving the slide to the desired measurement location, moving the objective lens through a predefined set of height values, acquiring imagery data at each height, and determining the height of maximum contrast. The methods also include a ribbon-focus procedure whereby imagery data are acquired continuously, while the slide and objective lens are in motion. Both methods may be applied with either a static or a dynamic implementation. | 12-10-2009 |
20090231689 | Rapid Microscope Scanner for Volume Image Acquisition - Apparatus for and method of rapid three dimensional scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a tilted sensor synchronized with a positioning stage. The system also provides a method for interpolating tilted image layers into a orthogonal tree dimensional array or into its two dimensional projection as well as a method for composing the volume strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single continuous digital image or volume. | 09-17-2009 |
20090208134 | Image Processing and Analysis Framework - A system and method for processing and analyzing virtual microscopy digital images (“digital slides”) is provided. The system comprises an algorithm server that maintains or has access to a plurality of image processing and analysis routines. The algorithm server additionally has access to a plurality of digital slides. The algorithm server executes a selected routine on an identified digital slide and provides the resulting data. The digital slide can be accessed locally or remotely across a network. Similarly, the image processing routines can be obtained from local storage or across a network, or both. Advantageously, certain common sub-routines may be stored locally for inclusion in other local or remotely obtained routines. Access to image processing and analysis may be restricted through a monitor process that authenticates requests to process or view digital slides. Variations in restrictions to images provide a rich diversity in access levels that allow sharing of digital slides and demonstrations of image processing algorithms. | 08-20-2009 |
20090169118 | Systems and Methods for Image Pattern Recognition - Systems and methods for image pattern recognition comprise digital image capture and encoding using vector quantization (“VQ”) of the image. A vocabulary of vectors is built by segmenting images into kernels and creating vectors corresponding to each kernel. Images are encoded by creating a vector index file having indices that point to the vectors stored in the vocabulary. The vector index file can be used to reconstruct an image by looking up vectors stored in the vocabulary. Pattern recognition of candidate regions of images can be accomplished by correlating image vectors to a pre-trained vocabulary of vector sets comprising vectors that correlate with particular image characteristics. In virtual microscopy, the systems and methods are suitable for rare-event finding, such as detection of micrometastasis clusters, tissue identification, such as locating regions of analysis for immunohistochemical assays, and rapid screening of tissue samples, such as histology sections arranged as tissue microarrays (“TMAs”). | 07-02-2009 |
20090141126 | Fully Automatic Rapid Microscope Slide Scanner - Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. The invention also provides a method for statically displaying sub-regions of this large digital image at different magnifications, together with a reduced magnification macro-image of the entire sample. The invention further provides a method for dynamically displaying, with or without operator interaction, portions of the contiguous digital image. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, all elements of the scanner are part of a single-enclosure that has a primary connection to the Internet or to a local intranet. In this embodiment, the preferred sample type is a microscope slide and the illumination and imaging optics are consistent with transmission mode optics optimized for diffraction-limited digital imaging. | 06-04-2009 |
20090116733 | Systems and Methods for Creating and Viewing Three Dimensional Virtual Slides - Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter. | 05-07-2009 |
20090087051 | Image Quality for Diagnostic Resolution Digital Slide Images - An improved diagnostic resolution of digital slide images is obtained by scanning a first digital slide image at diagnostic resolution that is then deconvolved into separate images with one stain per image. The single stain images are then enhanced with image adjustments and/or processed with image analysis algorithms. The resulting single image data sets from the image analysis algorithms can then be stored. Additionally, the resulting enhanced single images can be recombined into a second digital slide image at diagnostic resolution that is also enhanced. | 04-02-2009 |
20090028414 | Data Management in a Linear-Array-Based Microscope Slide Scanner - Systems and methods for processing, storing, and viewing extremely large imagery data rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner are provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the linear scanner as a series of overlapping image stripes and combines the data into a seamless and contiguous baseline image. The baseline image is logically mapped into a plurality of regions that are individually addressed to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the baseline image. The system enables dynamic imagery data compression while scanning and capturing new image stripes that eliminates the overhead associated with storing uncompressed image stripes. The system also creates intermediate level images, thereby organizing the baseline image into a variable level pyramid structure referred to as a virtual slide. The system facilitates the use of virtual slides in applications such as telemedicine, telepathology, microscopy education, and analysis of high value specimens like tissue arrays. | 01-29-2009 |
20080304722 | System and Method for Assessing Image Interpretability in Anatomic Pathology - A portion of imagery data is obtained from a digital slide and a protocol of image analysis/diagnostic tasks is performed on the portion of imagery data by a pathologist or an image analysis module. The result of each task (e.g., success or no success) is recorded and a score is determined for the portion of the imagery data. Multiple portions of imagery data from the digital slide are analyzed and scored and the various scores from the multiple portions of imagery data are calculated to determine an overall score for the digital slide. Regions of the digital slide can be scored separately. Multiple rounds of scoring (by different pathologists and/or different image analysis algorithms) may be employed to increase the accuracy of the score for a digital slide or region thereof. | 12-11-2008 |
20080292159 | Second Opinion Network - Systems and methods are provided to facilitate consultations between a referral source (e.g., labs, pathologists and patients) and a consultant (e.g., pathologist, radiologist, or other digital image analyst). Links between the various referral sources and consultants are established through a scanning center via a data communication network such as the Internet. The referral source sends a slide to the scanning center where the corresponding digital slide is posted for review and analysis by the consultant. Upon completion of the analysis and report, a digital slide conference is conducted through the scanning center that provides a venue for direct communication regarding the consultation. The scanning center may also facilitate payment from the referral source to the consultant. | 11-27-2008 |
20080273788 | System and Method for Quality Assurance in Pathology - Systems and methods for improving quality assurance in pathology using automated quality assessment and digital image enhancements on digital slides prior to analysis by the pathologist are provided. A digital pathology system (slide scanning instrument and software) creates, assesses and improves the quality of a digital slide. The improved digital slide image has a higher image quality that results in increased efficiency and accuracy in the analysis and diagnosis of such digital slides when they are reviewed on a monitor by a pathologist. These improved digital slides yield a more objective diagnosis than reading the corresponding glass slide under a microscope. | 11-06-2008 |