Method and apparatus for computer controlled rare cell, including fetal cell, based diagnosis
US7945391B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 14, 2005 |
| Grant date | May 17, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 6, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30024
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A computer controlled method for detecting and diagnosing a rare cell type in a tissue sample is provided, said method comprising treating the tissue sample such that it generates a first signal indicative of the presence at a location of a rare cell, detecting the first signal, treating the location at which the first signal is detected to generate a second signal indicative of a diagnostically useful cellular characteristic and detecting the second signal. The first signal can be morphological or a color present in a sought cell either before or after staining. The second signal can be generated by in situ PCR or PCR in situ hybridization. In one preferred embodiment, the rare cell type is a fetal cell in a maternal blood tissue sample, said sample consisting of a smear of unenriched maternal blood. In another embodiment, the method is used to diagnose or genotype cancer cells in a blood or tissue biopsy sample.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.