Abstract: A method of capturing a focused image of a continuously moving slide/objective arrangement is provided. A frame grabber device is triggered to capture an image of the slide through an objective at a first focus level as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective. Alternatingly with triggering the frame grabber device, the objective is triggered to move to a second focus level after capture of the image of the slide. The objective moves in discrete steps, oscillating between minimum and maximum focus levels. The frame grabber device is triggered at a frequency as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective so multiple images at different focus levels overlap, whereby a slide portion is common to each. The image having the maximum contrast value within overlapping images represents an optimum focus level for the slide portion, and thus the focused image. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method of capturing a focused image of a continuously moving slide/objective arrangement is provided. A frame grabber device is triggered to capture an image of the slide through an objective at a first focus level as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective. Alternatingly with triggering the frame grabber device, the objective is triggered to move to a second focus level after capture of the image of the slide. The objective moves in discrete steps, oscillating between minimum and maximum focus levels. The frame grabber device is triggered at a frequency as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective so multiple images at different focus levels overlap, whereby a slide portion is common to each. The image having the maximum contrast value within overlapping images represents an optimum focus level for the slide portion, and thus the focused image. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method of capturing a focused image of a continuously moving slide/objective arrangement is provided. A frame grabber device is triggered to capture an image of the slide through an objective at a first focus level as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective. Alternatingly with triggering the frame grabber device, the objective is triggered to move to a second focus level after capture of the image of the slide. The objective moves in discrete steps, oscillating between minimum and maximum focus levels. The frame grabber device is triggered at a frequency as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective so multiple images at different focus levels overlap, whereby a slide portion is common to each. The image having the maximum contrast value within overlapping images represents an optimum focus level for the slide portion, and thus the focused image. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method of capturing a focused image of a continuously moving slide/objective arrangement is provided. A frame grabber device is triggered to capture an image of the slide through an objective at a first focus level as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective. Alternatingly with triggering the frame grabber device, the objective is triggered to move to a second focus level after capture of the image of the slide. The objective moves in discrete steps, oscillating between minimum and maximum focus levels. The frame grabber device is triggered at a frequency as the slide continuously moves laterally relative to the objective so multiple images at different focus levels overlap, whereby a slide portion is common to each. The image having the maximum contrast value within overlapping images represents an optimum focus level for the slide portion, and thus the focused image. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for chromogen separation-based image analysis are provided, with such methods being directed to quantitative video-microscopy techniques in cellular biology and pathology applications.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular species in a sample from an image of the sample captured by an image acquisition device is provided, each molecular species being indicated by a dye. A dye space representation of a plurality of dyes is formed by orthogonally adding the correspondence tables of the dyes, each correspondence table having a plurality of normalized RGB triplets and incrementally extending from 0% to 100% transmittance. The dye space representation has one dimension for each dye and provides a reference model for a combination of the plurality of dyes. Each pixel of an image of the sample stained with the combination of the plurality of dyes is compared to the reference model, each pixel having a color defined by an RGB triplet, so as to determine an optimal combination of normalized RGB triplets from the respective correspondence tables of the dyes producing the color of the respective pixel.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular species in a sample from an image of the sample captured by an image acquisition device is provided, each molecular species being indicated by a dye. A dye space representation of a plurality of dyes is formed by orthogonally adding the correspondence tables of the dyes, each correspondence table having a plurality of normalized RGB triplets and incrementally extending from 0% to 100% transmittance. The dye space representation has one dimension for each dye and provides a reference model for a combination of the plurality of dyes. Each pixel of an image of the sample stained with the combination of the plurality of dyes is compared to the reference model, each pixel having a color defined by an RGB triplet, so as to determine an optimal combination of normalized RGB triplets from the respective correspondence tables of the dyes producing the color of the respective pixel.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular specie comprising a sample is provided, each molecular specie being indicated by a dye. The amount of the molecular specie is determined from an image of the sample captured as image data by a color image acquisition device in a video-microscopy system. An optical density of the sample is first determined in each of a red, green, and blue channel at a particular pixel in the image. A corresponding optical density matrix is thereafter formed for that pixel. The optical density matrix is then multiplied by the inverse of a relative absorption coefficient matrix so as to form a resultant matrix for the pixel. The relative absorption coefficient matrix comprises a relative absorption coefficient for each dye, independently of the sample, in each of the red, green, and blue channels. The resultant matrix thus comprises the amount of each molecular specie, as indicated by the respective dye, for that pixel.

Abstract: Methods and computer program products for evaluating and optimizing one or more markers for use in establishing a prognosis for a patient suffering from a disease are provided. More particularly, the methods include steps for systematically evaluating a number of features that may be extracted from an image of a body sample, such as a histological slide, that has been exposed to one or more biomarkers so as to establish a prognostic decision rule based on one or more of the extracted features such that the decision rule yields a prognosis that is optimally predictive of actual patient outcome. Thus, the methods and computer program products provided yield optimally predictive prognoses to assist clinicians in developing strategies for effective patient care management.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for evaluating the prognosis of a breast cancer patient, particularly an early-stage breast cancer patient, are provided. The methods of the invention comprise detecting expression of at least one, more particularly at least two, biomarker(s) in a body sample, wherein overexpression of the biomarker or a combination of biomarkers is indicative of breast cancer prognosis. In some embodiments, the body sample is a breast tissue sample, particularly a primary breast tumor sample. The biomarkers of the invention are proteins and/or genes whose overexpression is indicative of either a good or bad cancer prognosis. Biomarkers of interest include proteins and genes involved in cell cycle regulation, DNA replication, transcription, signal transduction, cell proliferation, invasion, proteolysis, or metastasis.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular species in a sample from an image of the sample captured by an image acquisition device is provided, each molecular species being indicated by a dye. A dye space representation of a plurality of dyes is formed by orthogonally adding the correspondence tables of the dyes, each correspondence table having a plurality of normalized RGB triplets and incrementally extending from 0% to 100% transmittance. The dye space representation has one dimension for each dye and provides a reference model for a combination of the plurality of dyes. Each pixel of an image of the sample stained with the combination of the plurality of dyes is compared to the reference model, each pixel having a color defined by an RGB triplet, so as to determine an optimal combination of normalized RGB triplets from the respective correspondence tables of the dyes producing the color of the respective pixel.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular specie comprising a sample is provided, each molecular specie being indicated by a dye. The amount of the molecular specie is determined from an image of the sample captured as image data by a color image acquisition device in a video-microscopy system. An optical density of the sample is first determined in each of a red, green, and blue channel at a particular pixel in the image. A corresponding optical density matrix is thereafter formed for that pixel. The optical density matrix is then multiplied by the inverse of a relative absorption coefficient matrix so as to form a resultant matrix for the pixel. The relative absorption coefficient matrix comprises a relative absorption coefficient for each dye, independently of the sample, in each of the red, green, and blue channels. The resultant matrix thus comprises the amount of each molecular specie, as indicated by the respective dye, for that pixel.