Patents Assigned to Ventana Medical System, Inc.
  • Quality control of automated whole-slide analyses
    Patent number: 11328420
    Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and methods for automatically selecting meaningful regions on a whole-slide image and performing quality control on the resulting collection of FOVs. Density maps may be generated quantifying the local density of detection results. The heat maps as well as combinations of maps (such as a local sum, ratio, etc.) may be provided as input into an automated FOV selection operation. The selection operation may select regions of each heat map that represent extreme and average representative regions, based on one or more rules. One or more rules may be defined in order to generate the list of candidate FOVs. The rules may generally be formulated such that FOVs chosen for quality control are the ones that require the most scrutiny and will benefit the most from an assessment by an expert observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC.
    Inventors: Joerg Bredno, Astrid Heller, Gabriele Hoelzlwimmer
  • System and method for real time assay monitoring
    Patent number: 11320348
    Abstract: A real time assay monitoring system and method can be used to monitor reagent volume in assays for fluid replenishment control, monitor assays in real-time to obtain quality control information, monitor assays in real-time during development to detect saturation levels that can be used to shorten assay time, and provide assay results before the assay is complete, enabling reflex testing to begin automatically. The monitoring system can include a real time imaging system with a camera and lights to capture images of the assay. The captured images can then be used to monitor and control the quality of the staining process in an assay, provide early assay results, and/or to measure the on-site reagent volume within the assay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Heng Cheng, Setareh Duquette, Lisa A. Jones, Chih-Ching Lin, Javier Andres Perez-Sepulveda
  • System and method for classifying cells in tissue images based on membrane features
    Patent number: 11302107
    Abstract: An image analysis system and method classify cells in a tissue image. The system and method may extract at least one image feature characterizing an object in the tissue image. Based on the extracted image feature, cells may be classified according to at least one predefined membrane pattern. For each classified cell, a class label that identifies a class to which the classified cell belongs may be outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Guetter, Kien Nguyen
  • Assessing risk of breast cancer recurrence
    Patent number: 11288795
    Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for assessing a risk of cancer recurrence in a patient based on a holistic integration of large amounts of prognostic information for said patient into a single comparative prognostic dataset. A risk classification system may be trained using the large amounts of information from a cohort of training slides from several patients, along with survival data for said patients. For example, a machine-learning-based binary classifier in the risk classification system may be trained using a set of granular image features computed from a plurality of slides corresponding to several cancer patients whose survival information is known and input into the system. The trained classifier may be used to classify image features from one or more test patients into a low-risk or high-risk group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Barnes, Srinivas Chukka, David Knowles
  • Specimen processing systems and methods for holding slides
    Patent number: 11274998
    Abstract: At least some embodiments of the technology are directed to an automated slide processing apparatus configured to apply at least one reagent to a specimen carried by a microscope slide. The slide processing station can include a support element with a support surface, at least one vacuum port, and a sealing member having a non-round shape. In an uncompressed state, the sealing member can extend upwardly beyond the support surface. In a compressed state, the sealing member can be configured to maintain an airtight seal with a backside of the microscope slide as the microscope slide is pulled against the support surface by a vacuum drawn via the at least one vacuum port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Dyson-Holland, Daniel C. Malberg, Timothy B. McDonald, Donald M. Barnett, Kevin D. Marshall, John Douglas Willems, Jr., Timothy Durrant, Simon Spence, Benjamin James, Joshua David Kenneth Harrison, Matthew Ketterer, Brian Kram
  • Cancer risk stratification based on histopathological tissue slide analysis
    Patent number: 11257209
    Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for providing reliable risk stratification for early-stage cancer patients by predicting a recurrence risk of the patient and to categorize the patient into a high or low risk group. A series of slides depicting serial sections of cancerous tissue are automatically analyzed by a digital pathology system, a score for the sections is calculated, and a Cox proportional hazards regression model is used to stratify the patient into a low or high risk group. The Cox proportional hazards regression model may be used to determine a whole-slide scoring algorithm based on training data comprising survival data for a plurality of patients and their respective tissue sections. The coefficients may differ based on different types of image analysis operations applied to either whole-tumor regions or specified regions within a slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Barnes, Srinivas Chukka, Bonnie LaFleur, Chang Xu
  • Application of click chemistry for signal amplification in IHC and ISH assays
    Patent number: 11249085
    Abstract: Applicants have developed an amplification system and methodology for IHC and ISH staining that utilizes “click chemistry” to covalently bind reporter molecules to tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian D. Kelly, Nathan W. Polaske
  • Methods and systems for evaluation of immune cell infiltrate in tumor samples
    Patent number: 11250566
    Abstract: Immune context scores are calculated for tumor tissue samples using continuous scoring functions. Feature metrics for at least one immune cell marker are calculated for a region or regions of interest, the feature metrics including at least a quantitative measure of human CD3 or total lymphocyte counts. A continuous scoring function is then applied to a feature vector including the feature metric and at least one additional metric related to an immunological biomarker, the output of which is an immune context score. The immune context score may then be plotted as a function of a diagnostic or treatment metric, such as a prognostic metric (e.g. overall survival, disease-specific survival, progression-free survival) or a predictive metric (e.g. likelihood of response to a particular treatment course). The immune context score may then be incorporated into diagnostic and/or treatment decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Barnes, Joerg Bredno, Rebecca C. Bowermaster, Srinivas Chukka, Wen-Wei Liu, Kandavel Shanmugam, Junming Zhu
  • Automated high volume slide processing system
    Patent number: 11249095
    Abstract: An automated system is provided for performing slide processing operations on slides bearing biological samples. In one embodiment, the disclosed system includes a slide tray holding a plurality of slides in a substantially horizontal position and a workstation that receives the slide tray. In a particular embodiment, a workstation delivers a reagent to slide surfaces without substantial transfer of reagent (and reagent borne contaminants such as dislodged cells) from one slide to another. A method for automated processing of slides also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Reinhardt, Charles D. Lemme, Glen Ward, William L. Richards, Wayne Showalter, Brandon Ambler, Austin Micheil Ashby, Chris Borchert, Devon C. Campbell, Kimberly Christensen, Matthew Freeman, Andrew Ghusson, Rick Griebel, Kendall B. Hendrick, Miroslav Holubec, Parula Mehta, Vince Rizzo
  • COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR SIMULTANEOUS INACTIVATION OF ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE AND PEROXIDASE ENZYMES DURING AUTOMATED MULTIPLEX TISSUE STAINING ASSAYS
    Publication number: 20220026319
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for inactivating one or more enzymes in a biological sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: James Grille, Brian D. Kelly, Jerome Kosmeder, II, Eric May, Noemi Sebastiao, Pamela Wirth
  • Slide imaging apparatus
    Patent number: 11231574
    Abstract: A slide imaging apparatus that includes a copy holder moving system and an imaging system. The copy holder moving system includes a movable stage configured to move along first and second slide movement axes relative to the imaging system, wherein the imaging system is configured to form an image of a sample mounted on a slide located in the/each imaging location on the movable stage during an image forming process that includes the movable stage moving relative to the imaging system along the first and second slide movement axes. The copy holder moving system also includes a copy holder configured to be mounted to the movable stage, wherein the copy holder is configured to be mounted to the movable stage in each of a plurality of indexing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Roland Hawes, Jagdish Pankhania
  • Automated system and method for creating and executing a scoring guide to assist in the analysis of tissue specimen
    Patent number: 11222194
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein describe a platform that automatically creates and executes a scoring guide for use in anatomical pathology. The platform can employ a fully-automated workflow for clustering the biological objects of interest and for providing cell-by-cell read-outs of heterogeneous tumor biomarkers based on their stain appearance. The platform can include a module for automatically creating and storing a scoring guide in a training database based on training digital images (240, 250), and an object classification module that executes the scoring guide when presented with new digital images to be scored pursuant to the scoring guide (299).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Barnes, Joerg Bredno, Jim F. Martin
  • System and method for generating selective stain segmentation images for cell types of interest
    Patent number: 11210782
    Abstract: An image analysis system and method to generate selective stain segmentation images for at least one cell type of interest within a stained tissue image are presented. Cell membranes in the tissue image are detected to generate a corresponding membrane mask image. Cell nuclei are classified to generate a classified cells image. Selective stain segmentation images are generated for the at least one cell type of interest based on the membrane mask image and the classified cells image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Christoph Guetter, Kien Nguyen
  • Image analysis for breast cancer prognosis
    Patent number: 11211167
    Abstract: Heterogeneity for biomarkers in a tissue sample can be calculated. A heterogeneity score can be combined with an immunohistochemistry combination score to provide breast cancer recurrence prognosis. Heterogeneity can be based on percent positivity determinations for a plurality of biomarkers according to how many cells in the sample stain positive. An immunohistochemistry combination score can be calculated. An imaging tool can support a digital pathologist workflow that includes designating fields of view in an image of the tissue sample. Based on the fields of view, a heterogeneity metric can be calculated and combined with an immunohistochemistry combination score to generate a breast cancer recurrence prognosis score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC., THE CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
    Inventors: Srinivas Chukka, Olcay Sertel, Anindya Sarkar, Nikolaus Wick, Shalini Singh, Crystal Schemp, Paul Waring, Raymond Tubbs
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMPUTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUTOFLUORESCENCE IN MULTICHANNEL IMAGE
    Publication number: 20210397870
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of estimating the autofluorescence (AF) signal and other non-target signals in each channel of a multi-channel image of a biological sample that is stained with one or more fluorescent labels. In some embodiments, the estimated autofluorescence signal can then be subtracted or masked from the multi-channel image. In some embodiments, the autofluorescence-removed multichannel image can then be use for further processing (e.g. image analysis, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joerg Bredno, Mehrnoush Khojasteh, Ilya Ravkin, Smadar Shiffman, Xingwei Wang
  • Systems and methods for detection of structures and/or patterns in images
    Patent number: 11205266
    Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for automatic immune cell detection that is of assistance in clinical immune profile studies. The automatic immune cell detection method involves retrieving a plurality of image channels from a multi-channel image such as an RGB image or biologically meaningful unmixed image. A cell detector is trained to identify the immune cells by a convolutional neural network in one or multiple image channels. Further, the automatic immune cell detection algorithm involves utilizing a non-maximum suppression algorithm to obtain the immune cell coordinates from a probability map of immune cell presence possibility generated from the convolutional neural network classifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Christophe Chefd'hotel, Ting Chen
  • Method of preparing a stage for use in a slide imaging apparatus
    Patent number: 11187882
    Abstract: A method of preparing a stage for use in a slide imaging apparatus including positioning a stage in relation to a flat surface so that the flat surface is positioned in front of the top surfaces of slide support pin bases on the top surface of the stage. The method also includes injecting a fluid pin surfacing material configured to solidify into the hole of each slide support pin base so that at least some of the fluid pin surfacing material exits the hole at the top surface of the slide support pin bases and pushes up against the flat surface. The method also includes removing the flat surface so that a tip of solid pin surfacing material is formed on the top surface of each slide support pin base, thereby providing the stage with a plurality of slide support pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Philip Gouch, Jagdish Pankhania
  • Standardizing diffusion of a fluid into tissue
    Patent number: 11181506
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for evaluating a tissue sample that has been removed from a subject. Movement of fluid through the tissue sample is monitored by measuring time of flight of acoustic waves passed through the tissue sample. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. Using the disclosed method and system, an optimized protocol for ensuring adequate distribution of the fluid throughout a variety of tissue types and/or sample sizes can be developed and utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bauer, David Chafin, Michael Otter, Abbey Theiss
  • Fluid coverage sensing system and method
    Patent number: 11181450
    Abstract: A system for applying a fluid to a substrate bearing a sample for analysis has an array of sensor plates positioned to sense the presence of fluid in contact with respective areas of the substrate. In a particular embodiment, fluid presence in different areas of the substrate is sensed by the effect of the fluid and its identity on the impedances of capacitors formed between sensor plates within the array. In a more particular embodiment, by polling the sensor array continually while fluid is applied to the substrate determine a coverage map, a fluid dispensing mechanism can be controlled to efficiently cover the entire substrate with fluid a minimal amount of fluid, thereby reducing waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Kozikowski, III, Marian Mikaela Rygelski, Matthew Thurman
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CACHING BIOLOGICAL IMAGE DATA
    Publication number: 20210358596
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to digital pathology systems and server systems, each of which may comprise caches pre-populated with biological image data, including biological image data which was been pre-processed into a destination file format. Caches can be populated with biological image data on the digital pathology system and/or server system for retrieval of biological image data, facilitating real-time or near real-time visualization of biological image data in a browser or on the digital pathology system. Biological image data on a server can be automatically pre-processed as scanned image data is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash BODA, Abhisheak SHARMA, Steve Yungming YU