Microtome for producing thin sections
A microtome for producing thin sections includes a knife holder (32) with a cutting knife (33), a sample holder (34) for samples (42) embedded in a cartridge (40), a feed device (31) for changing the distance between the cutting knife (33) and the cartridge (40), and a drive device for producing a cutting movement between the cutting knife (33) and the cartridge (40). The microtome also includes a reading device (54) for coded information (45) applied to a cartridge (40), and a control device (10) with a computer for coordination of functional sequences. A magazine (60) with code (62) and partitions (61) holds prepared cartridges (40), and a handling device (50) provides for the controllable removal of a cartridge (40) and positioning on the sample holder (34) as well as returning cartridges into the magazine (60). The reading device (54, 53) is assigned to the magazine housing and/or the handling device (50).
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The invention relates to a microtome having the features of the preamble of claim 1.
WO 00/62035 A1 discloses such a microtome having an automatic function sequence. The sample, embedded in a cartridge, is provided with an individual identification code and automatically fixed to a sample holder. The information contained in the code is read. The thin sections corresponding to the code are prepared and deposited on an object carrier. After that, the cartridge is removed from the sample holder, if appropriate indexed further and kept in a collecting container. The thin sections on the object carrier are prepared further and evaluated one after another by image analysis. The images recorded are stored. If further thin sections are needed from a specific sample, the corresponding cartridge has to be found from the collecting container and introduced into the system again.
DE 101 54 843 A1 discloses a microtome in which an indexed cartridge is fixed manually in a sample holder. The sample holder with the cartridge is moved relative to the cutting knife of the microtome. During each new cutting movement, the code applied to the cartridge is read by a reading device fitted to the microtome housing and supplied to a printer in order to label an object carrier. The thin section produced in each case is deposited manually on the object carrier printed in parallel therewith. In this way, confusion when assigning thin section and labeled object carrier is minimized.
The coded information applied to the cartridge can relate both to statements about the sample and about the preparation technique and the execution of the section. An apparatus for the corresponding labeling of cartridges or object carriers is disclosed by DE 101 15 065 A1.
The invention was based on the object of rationalizing the operations of sample preparation and indexing, sample storage and thin section creation in a microtome and nevertheless of largely ruling out the risk of confusion when evaluating the samples.
In a microtome of the type mentioned at the beginning, this object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements emerge from the features of the subclaims.
The desired rationalization is given firstly by the fact that suitable specialized staff is able to concentrate on processing the samples with embedding in the cartridge and indexing, with information relating to the execution of the section. Insertion into the magazine, likewise provided with an unambiguous code, can be carried out as desired, since, by means of the reading device, both specific cartridges can be selected specifically and, as is also the case in cartridges processed step-by-step one after another, the information read out in each case can be used for labeling the object carrier.
Further rationalization is given by the fact that other suitable specialist personnel are able to introduce the filled magazines into the handling device and are then able to concentrate on removing the section and identifying the object carriers. During automatic labeling of the object carriers corresponding to the code of the cartridge just selected, which is carried out at the same time as the production of the section, auxiliary staff are also able to place the thin section respectively produced on the prepared object carriers. Of course, it is also possible to deposit the thin section automatically on the labeled object carrier and also to introduce the magazines automatically into the handling device.
The filled and likewise indexed magazines can be kept in a space-saving manner and permit rapid access to selected cartridges. If the magazines are stored in a refrigerated housing or a refrigerated chamber, temperature-sensitive samples can also be stored securely over a relatively long time period and kept in stock for subsequent examination. In this case, it is advantageous if the magazine is stored in a refrigerated or insulated chamber on the microtome during the production of the thin sections.
An exemplary embodiment of the microtome according to the invention is illustrated schematically in the drawing and will be described in more detail in the following text by using the figures, further advantages being brought out. Here,
In
Manual operation of the object carrier printer 20 or of the control device 10 is possible via the input device 23 and can be monitored via the display device 24. For instance, an operator is able to input corrections to the cutting speed or the cutting window or to improve the production of the section in this way and to initiate the renewed production of thin sections. The procedures are repeated until either the thin section produced has the required quality or the desired number of thin sections have been produced from the sample 42 just inserted and have been deposited on the correspondingly printed object carriers 25.
The magazine 60 illustrated in
An empty cartridge 41 with an empty identification area 43 is illustrated in
Since a large number of parameters influence the quality of the thin sections produced by the microtome 30, it is advantageous to deposit additional information and findings about the condition of the sample 42 embedded in the cartridge 40 in a data base belonging to the control device 10 or in the individual cartridge code 45. For instance, if it is a soft sample, the preferred cutting speed should be chosen differently than in the case of a hard sample. The size of the sample influences the size of the cutting window. Thus, in conjunction with the microtome according to the invention, findings about these parameters can already be assigned during the sample processing to each individual cartridge by experienced personnel and already have an advantageous influence in advance on the quality of the thin sections subsequently produced. For instance, together with the magazine code 62, the position of each cartridge in the magazine 60 and the individual cartridge code 45 associated with one another can be stored in a data base belonging to the control device 10. Given appropriate capacity of the magazine code 62, this information can also be stored directly there.
For the purpose of coding, bar codes known per se, two-dimensional dot(bar)codes, magnetic storage media or (film) microchips which can be programmed and read by radio can be used.
Thus, it is then possible to move deliberately to a specific cartridge in a time-saving manner and without processing each individual cartridge step-by-step one after another and to select said cartridge for further processing.
Since temperature-insensitive samples 42 can even be stored at room temperature but the production of thin sections of samples 42 embedded in paraffin is often problematical at room temperature, the magazine 60 together with the cartridges stored there can also be cooled down in the refrigerated/insulated housing 55 mentioned in the description relating to
- 10 Control device
- 11 Object carrier printer control line
- 12 Microtome control line
- 13 Handling device control line
- 20 Object carrier printer
- 21 Object carrier supply
- 22 Object carrier ejection
- 23 Input device
- 24 Display device
- 25 Object carrier
- 30 Microtome
- 31 Feed device
- 32 Knife holder
- 33 Cutting knife
- 34 Sample holder
- 35 Disk
- 36 Depression
- 40 Cartridge
- 41 Empty cartridge
- 42 Embedded sample
- 43 Identification area
- 44 Apertures
- 45 Individual cartridge code
- 50 Handling device
- 51 Gripper
- 52 Displacer
- 53 Magazine code reading device
- 54 Cartridge code reading device
- 55 Refrigerated/insulated housing
- 60 Magazine
- 61 Partitions
- 62 Magazine code
- 63 Magazine guide
- 64 Guide channels
Claims
1. A microtome for producing thin sections, containing
- a) a knife holder (32) with cutting knife (33),
- b) a sample holder (34) for samples (42) embedded in a cartridge (40),
- c) a feed device (31) for changing the distance between cutting knife (33) and cartridge (40),
- d) a drive device for producing a cutting movement between cutting knife (33) and cartridge (40),
- e) a reading device (54) for coded information (45) applied to the cartridge (40), and
- f) a control device (10) with computer for coordination of all the functional sequences, wherein
- g) a magazine (60) with code (62) and partitions (61) for holding prepared cartridges (40), and also
- h) a handling device (50) for the controllable removal of a cartridge (40) and positioning on the sample holder (34) as well as returning into the magazine (60) are provided, and
- i) the reading device (54, 53) is assigned to the magazine housing and/or the handling device (50).
2. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magazine (60) is coupled to the microtome (30).
3. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bar magazine (60) is provided.
4. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magazine (60) and the partitions (61) are aligned in such a way that the cartridges (40) are kept with their section plane parallel to the plane of the sample holder (34) as they are fed to the sample holder (34).
5. The microtome as claimed in claim 4, wherein the handling device (50) contains a displacer (52) for the removal and return of the cartridges (40).
6. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magazine (60) is stored in a refrigerated housing (55).
7. The microtome as claimed in claim 6, wherein the magazine (60) is mounted in the refrigerated housing (55) such that it can be displaced under control.
8. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein a disk microtome (30) with sample holder (34) guided rotationally past the cutting knife (33) is provided.
9. The microtome as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thin sections are deposited on an object carrier (25) and the control device (10) is connected to a printer (20) in order to label the object carriers (25).
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 12, 2005
Publication Date: Oct 27, 2005
Applicant:
Inventors: Rolf Metzner (Dossenheim), Roland Walter (Neulussheim)
Application Number: 11/103,596