Patent Application
20070292315
In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which:
Embodiments of the invention are described below. It is, however, expressly noted that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, which are provided for purposes of illustration, and that modifications that are apparent to the person skilled in the art and equivalents thereof are also included.
The carrier disclosed herein is suited for use with ThinPrep® TP2000 (Cytyc Corp.) or ThinPrep® TP3000 (Cytyc Corp.). However, the carriers disclosed herein can be used with any of the processors currently on the market or later developed. The carriers of the disclosed embodiments of the invention provide a novel method of retaining the unique relationship between a sample vial and a prepared slide, without creating any confusion or doubt as to the correct relationship. While the carriers disclosed herein are best used when a new sample is being introduced into a process run already in progress, certain embodiments of the invention include the use of the carriers disclosed herein for introducing all of the samples being processed by a processor.
Thus, in the first aspect, the invention relates to a carrier for slide processing, comprising a location configured to hold a vial; a location configured to hold a slide; and a location configured to hold a filter.
In some embodiments, such as the one shown in
While
In another aspect aspect, the invention relates to a carrier for slide processing, comprising a location configured to hold a vial and a location configured to hold a slide.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a carrier for slide processing, comprising a location configured to hold a vial and a location configured to hold a filter.
In still another aspect, the invention relates to a carrier for slide processing, comprising a location configured to hold a slide and a location configured to hold a filter.
In some embodiments, the vial 204 is configured to hold a biological sample. Thus, the vial 204 comprises a container and a lid, where medical personnel obtain the biological sample and put in the vial 204, cap it with the lid, and send it to a laboratory for further processing. The biological sample can be a sample obtained during a cervical examination, urine, blood, saliva, stool, or other tissue.
In some embodiments, the filter 206 comprises a membrane connected to a cylindrical member. The filter 206 is configured to have the biological sample aspirated through the membrane, thereby causing cells within the biological sample to adhere to the membrane. The membrane is also configured to have the adhered cells transferred to the slide 208.
In some embodiments, such as the one shown in
In some aspects, the carrier disclosed herein is used to provide a one-to-one relationship between a biological sample and a prepared slide. In some embodiments, the automated processor, such as the ThinPrep® TP3000 device, is programmed to process a number of biological samples, located at a sample location within the processor. The processor also has a plurality of unused filters and unused slides for the processing. The device obtains a biological sample, uncaps the vial, obtains a filter and attaches the filter to an aspirator within the processor, aspirates some of the biological sample through the filter, such that a plurality of cells adhere to the membrane of the filter, obtains a slide, and contacts the membrane with the slide so that the plurality of the cells are transferred to the slide. The slide is then fixed and labeled. The filter is discarded, and the vial and the slide are put in output trays.
In some embodiments, it is desired that a sample be processed outside of the normal queue of the samples within the processor, either due to a rush, or because the biological sample is of a different kind than the samples in the queue (for example, the processor is processing a plurality of cervical samples and the user desires to process a urine sample). In certain embodiments, the user can interrupt the normal processing run and place the carrier 102 in the processor. The processor then moves the carrier 102 to a second location in the processor, where the vial 204 is removed and uncapped, the filter 206 is attached to the aspirator, cells are adhered to the membrane and transferred to the slide 208. The vial 204 and the slide 208, which can be labeled at this time, are returned to the carrier 102. In some embodiments, the filter 206 is also returned to the carrier 102. In other embodiments, the filter 206 is discarded. The carrier 102 is then removed from the processor. The user would then be in the possession of a tray containing a vial 204 with the biological sample, and a slide 208 having cells obtained from the same biological sample in the vial 204. There would be no doubt as to the one-to-one relationship between the sample in vial 204 and the smear on slide 208. In some embodiments, the user can run multiple samples using a multiple carriers 102. The processor is then allowed to continue with the normal processing run.
Thus, in another aspect, disclosed herein is a method of processing a biological sample in an automated processor, comprising:
In some embodiments, the user stops or interrupts an ongoing automated process within the automated processor prior to the placing the vial step in the above method. In certain embodiments, the user restarts the automated process subsequent to the replacing the vial step.
In other embodiments, the user prepares a plurality of carriers 102, each having a vial 204 of biological sample and a slide 208 and a filter 206. The user can feed the plurality of the carriers 102 to the automated processor, either manually or automatically. In these embodiments, the automated processor does not obtain a slide and a filter from a stockpile of the same within the automated processor. An advantage of the method of these embodiments is that the user can insert different samples without pausing the automated process. Pausing the automated process can take some time to allow the processor to reset itself. Bypassing the pause can reduce the amount of time spent on sample processing.
In certain embodiments, the carriers disclosed herein are used with a processor, such as the ThinPrep® TP2000 device. In these embodiments, some of the steps enumerated in the above method are conducted manually.
In some embodiments, the automated processor labels the slides 208 automatically using at least one identifier. The identifier can be the name of the patient, the patient's unique number (such as medical record number or social security number), sample number, the name and location of the medical facility, the name of the medical care provider who obtained the sample, etc. Preferably, the same identifier appears on the vial 204 having the biological sample. In other embodiments, the user labels the slides 208 prior to inserting the carrier 102 into the automated processor. Certain laboratories have their own unique method of labeling the slides. An advantage of the methods disclosed herein is that it allows the laboratories to retain their labeling format on the slides, without having to change their format to fit the limitations of the automated processor.
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the steps in the above-described method may be practiced in various different orders in alternative embodiments. Further, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting of the invention, which is only limited by the following claims and their equivalents.
