System and method for imaging with enhanced depth of field

Abstract

A method for imaging is presented. The method includes acquiring a plurality of images corresponding to overlapping fields of view at a plurality of sample distances using an imaging device having an objective and a stage for holding a sample to be imaged. Moreover, the method includes determining a figure of merit corresponding to each pixel in each of the plurality of acquired images. The method also includes synthesizing a composite image based upon the determined figures of merit.

Description

Technical field [0001] Embodiments of the invention relate to imaging, and more specifically to the construction of images with enhanced depth of field. Background technique [0002] The prevention, monitoring, and treatment of physiological conditions such as cancer, infectious diseases and other diseases require timely diagnosis of these physiological conditions. Generally, biological samples from patients are used for disease analysis and identification. Microscopic analysis is a technique widely used in the analysis and evaluation of these samples. More specifically, samples can be studied to detect the presence of abnormal numbers or types of cells and / or tissues that can be indicative of a disease state. Automated microscope analysis systems have been developed to facilitate rapid analysis of these samples and have the advantage of accuracy over manual analysis in which technicians may become fatigued over time leading to misreading of the samples. Typically, a sample on...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the use of these techniques introduces unsatisfactory artifacts in the resulting image

Furthermore, these techniques tend to produce images with limited focus quality (especially when faced with samples mounted on glass slides that are not sufficiently flat within a single field of view), thereby limiting the use of these microscopes in pathology laboratories for diagnosis Abnormalities in such samples (especially where the diagnosis requires high magnification) (eg, with respect to bone marrow aspirate)

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