Cytological slide scoring apparatus

US5933519A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Neopath, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Shih-Jong J. Lee · Bellevue, US
• Paul S. Wilhelm · Kirkland, US
• Michael Meyer · Aachen, DE
• Wendy R. Bannister · Burlington, US
• Chih-Chau L. Kuan · Redmond, US
• William E. Ortyn · Bainbridge Island, US
• Larry A. Nelson · Hillsboro, US
• Keith L. Frost · Seattle, US
• Jon W. Hayenga · Kent, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 3, 1997
• Grant date: Aug 3, 1999
• Expiry date: Jun 3, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V30/248
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention detects areas of interest at low magnification, locating possible abnormal cells or other cells of interest using image processing and statistical pattern recognition techniques. Next, at high magnification, the areas identified at low magnification are re-examined. The information from the low magnification and high magnification scans is collated and a determination is made about the slide--whether it is normal, abnormal, contains endocervical component, and so forth. The invention also provides a method and apparatus to train object feature and slide feature classifiers. The invention provides an automated cytology system that can process training slides for use in a feed back classifier development environment. The invention also can classify endocervical groups of cells.