Abstract: A slide rack clamp apparatus that secures a slide rack in a digital slide scanning apparatus. In an embodiment, the slide rack clamp apparatus includes an upper clamp and a lower clamp. Each clamp comprises one or more clamp projections, which are configured to engage one or more recesses in engagement surfaces of a plurality of different slide racks from different manufacturers. The lower clamp is driven by a motor along a linear axis to engage the lower clamp projections with the one or more slide rack recesses of the bottom surface of the slide rack. The motor drives the lower clamp and the engaged slide rack upward to engage the one or more slide rack recesses of the top surface of the slide rack with the clamp projections of the upper clamp to fully engage the slide rack between the upper clamp and the lower clamp.

Abstract: A power off delay system and method is configured to delay termination of electrical power to a digital pathology device in a power off condition. If the apparatus includes a UPS, the power off delay system and method delays termination of electrical power when a power switch is turned off and when a catastrophic power failure occurs. During the delay of the termination of electrical power, the digital pathology device is configured to control the scanning stage system and the glass slide conveyor system and the slide rack conveyor system to place each of these systems into a known state and position all glass slides into a known position prior to the termination of electrical power to the digital pathology device. This allows the digital pathology device to resume normal operation upon power up.

Abstract: A fixed reference edge system that guides a glass slide from a slot of a slide rack onto a scanning stage and guides the glass slide from the scanning stage into the slot of the slide rack. In an embodiment, the fixed reference edge has a first side that is parallel to a side of the slot of the slide rack. The system comprises an assembly that includes a push bar configured to push the slide from the slot onto the scanning stage, and a pull bar configured to pull the slide from the scanning stage into the slot of the slide rack. When the slide is pulled into the slide rack, the long edge of the slide is pressed against the first side of the fixed reference edge to maintain a parallel orientation between the slide and the slot of the slide rack.

Abstract: Automated stain finding. In an embodiment, an image of a sample comprising one or more stains is received. For each of a plurality of pixels in the image, an optical density vector for the pixel is determined. The optical density vector comprises a value for each of the one or more stains, and represents a point in an optical density space that has a number of dimensions equal to a number of the one or more stains. The optical density vectors are transformed from the optical density space into a representation in a lower dimensional space. The lower dimensional space has a number of dimensions equal to one less than the number of dimensions of the optical density space. An optical density vector corresponding to each of the one or more stains is identified based on the representation.

Abstract: Image viewing in digital pathology using eye-tracking. In an embodiment, a position of a user's gaze on a graphical user interface, comprising at least a portion of a digital slide image within a macro view, is repeatedly detected based on an output from an eye-tracking device. After detecting a change of the user's gaze from a first position to a second position on the graphical user interface, a view of the digital slide image within the macro view is automatically panned based on the second position, so as to move a position on the digital slide image that corresponds to the second position on the graphical user interface toward a center of the macro view.

Abstract: A digital pathology imaging apparatus includes a single line scan camera sensor optically coupled with first and second optical paths. In a first embodiment, transmission mode illumination and oblique mode illumination are simultaneously used during a single stage movement that captures a low resolution macro image of the entire sample area and the entire label area of the slide via the first optical path. In a second embodiment, transmission mode illumination is used during a first stage movement that captures a low resolution macro image of at least the entire sample area via the first optical path and oblique mode illumination is used during a second stage movement that captures a low resolution macro image of at least the entire label area via the first optical path.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing a plurality of scanning devices in a high-throughput laboratory environment. Each of the scanning devices is configured for a remote boot operation from an administrative server that is communicatively coupled with the plurality of scanning devices via a local network. The remote boot replaces the complete operational firmware of a scanning device. The scanning devices are each configured to periodically provide operational information to the administrative server for centralized storage. The centralized storage of operational information for each of the plurality of scanning devices, coupled with the ability of the administrative server to initiate a reboot of any scanning device and thereby update the complete operational firmware of the scanning device, allows for centralized administration of multiple scanning devices that facilitates configuration, support, image data storage, and/or communication with outside servers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing a digital image of a slide using an imaging line sensor and a focusing line sensor. In an embodiment, a beam-splitter is optically coupled to an objective lens and configured to receive one or more images of a portion of a sample through the objective lens. The beam-splitter simultaneously provides a first portion of the one or more images to the focusing sensor and a second portion of the one or more images to the imaging sensor. A processor controls the stage and/or objective lens such that each portion of the one or more images is received by the focusing sensor prior to it being received by the imaging sensor. In this manner, a focus of the objective lens can be controlled using data received from the focusing sensor prior to capturing an image of a portion of the sample using the imaging sensor.

Abstract: A slide rack inventory and reinsertion system for use with a digital slide scanning apparatus is provided that determines, prior to scanning of glass slides in a slide rack, a status of each slot in the slide rack as properly occupied, improperly occupied, or empty. The system also determines whether a slide that has been removed from the slide rack for processing has been properly reinserted into the slide rack.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing an image repository for pathology. In an embodiment, a search request is received. One or more digital slide images are identified from an image repository based on the search request. A user is provided access to the identified digital slide images. In addition, each of a plurality of collections of digital slide images are associated with a search rating, and a value for each of the plurality of collections is computed based on the associated search rating and a size of the collection.

Abstract: Two-pass capture of a macro image. In an embodiment, a scanning apparatus comprises a stage, a high-resolution camera, and a lens that provides a field of view, substantially equal in width to a slide width, to the high-resolution camera. The apparatus also comprises a first illumination system for transmission-mode illumination, and a second illumination system for reflection-mode illumination. Processor(s) move the stage in a first direction to capture a first macro image of a specimen during a single pass while the field of view is illuminated by the first illumination system, and move the stage in a second direction to capture a second macro image of the specimen during a single pass while the field of view is illuminated by the second illumination system. The processor(s) identify artifacts in the second macro image, and, based on those artifacts, correct the first macro image to generate a modified first macro image.

Abstract: A digital slide scanning apparatus slide rack carousel allows continuous loading and unloading of slide racks into the carousel while the digital slide scanning apparatus is simultaneously digitizing glass slides. The slide rack carousel includes a base having an interior portion of its upper surface at an angle. The slide rack carousel also includes plural rack spacers extending upward from the base and adjacent rack spacers define a rack slot. Each rack spacer also includes a rack stopper on each side such that adjacent rack spacers have rack stoppers facing each other. The rack stoppers prevent a slide rack from moving further toward the center of the carousel than desired.

Abstract: A fixed reference edge system that guides a glass slide from a slot of a slide rack onto a scanning stage and guides the glass slide from the scanning stage into the slot of the slide rack. In an embodiment, the fixed reference edge has a first side that is parallel to a side of the slot of the slide rack. The system comprises an assembly that includes a push bar configured to push the slide from the slot onto the scanning stage, and a pull bar configured to pull the slide from the scanning stage into the slot of the slide rack. When the slide is pulled into the slide rack, the long edge of the slide is pressed against the first side of the fixed reference edge to maintain a parallel orientation between the slide and the slot of the slide rack.

Abstract: A slide rack clamp apparatus that secures a slide rack in a digital slide scanning apparatus. In an embodiment, the slide rack clamp apparatus includes an upper clamp and a lower clamp. Each clamp comprises one or more clamp projections, which are configured to engage one or more recesses in engagement surfaces of a plurality of different slide racks from different manufacturers. The lower clamp is driven by a motor along a linear axis to engage the lower clamp projections with the one or more slide rack recesses of the bottom surface of the slide rack. The motor drives the lower clamp and the engaged slide rack upward to engage the one or more slide rack recesses of the top surface of the slide rack with the clamp projections of the upper clamp to fully engage the slide rack between the upper clamp and the lower clamp.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods that place a known color monitor (known by unique serial number or SKU) into a desired state for displaying digital pathology image data. Using an application programming interface, any color monitor that implements MCCS can be calibrated and characterized immediately before each display of digital pathology image data and can also be periodically reset (if needed) during display of digital pathology image data.

Abstract: A digital slide scanning apparatus includes a safety light curtain that operates to disable the motor that rotates the carousel when the presence of an object (e.g., the fingers of an operator) is detected within a predetermined area of the carousel. The light curtain also operates to disable the motor that rotates the carousel when an improperly positioned glass slide or slide rack is detected. The digital slide scanning apparatus also includes a multi-color status indicator for each rack slot that indicates the rack slot location of an improperly positioned glass slide or slide rack.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for scanning a 2D or 3D image of a specimen without relative Z-axis motion between the specimen and the objective lens. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a tilted camera having individual lines of pixels. Each line of pixels can be separately processed and is at a different image plane with respect to the stage. The depth of field of each line of pixels abuts, slightly overlaps, or is slightly spaced apart from the adjacent lines of pixels in the tilted camera. The angle of the tilt determines the relationship (abut, overlapping, or spaced) of the adjacent lines of pixels. The individual image lines produced by each line of pixels can be combined into a 3D volume image of a sample. Also, the highest-contrast line at each X-Y location can be combined into an in-focus 2D image of the sample.

Abstract: Real-time autofocus. In an embodiment, a scanning apparatus includes an imaging sensor, a focusing sensor, an objective lens, and processor(s) configured to analyze image data captured by the imaging and focusing sensors, and move the objective lens. Real-time autofocus during scanning of a sample is achieved by determining a true-Z value for the objective lens for a point on a sample and for each of a plurality of regions on the sample. The true-Z values and/or surfaces calculated therefrom are used to determine a predicted-Z value for an unscanned region of the sample. The objective lens is adjusted to the predicted-Z value at the beginning of the unscanned region. After scanning the region, a true-Z value is determined for the region and compared to the predicted-Z value. A rescan of the region is initiated if the comparison exceeds a predetermined threshold.