Sample image capturing system, method, and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of sample image shooting systems, comprising: sample holding device, for keeping the sample film to be measured of sample slide to be measured is applied;Imaging device, for shooting sample on sample slide to be measured;Sample appearance image acquisition device, for acquiring sample appearance image, sample appearance image at least includes the appearance image of sample film;Controller, with imaging device and sample appearance image acquisition device communication connection, and be configured as: from sample appearance image acquisition device sample appearance image, according to sample appearance image identification sample film appearance feature, according to appearance feature determine shooting parameter, and control imaging device under shooting parameter on sample component on sample slide to be measured is photographed.The present application also relates to sample image shooting method and computer readable storage medium.The present application can realize using the appearance image feature of sample film to guide sample image shooting, realize the accurate shooting of sample image.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sample image acquisition, and in particular to a sample image acquisition system, a sample image acquisition method, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] A cell morphology analyzer (also known as a digital microscope) is an instrument used to analyze cells on slides or smears containing peripheral blood, bone marrow, or body fluids. The cell morphology analyzer includes a microscopic optics module and a digital imaging module. Its main working principle is as follows: It uses intelligent image processing algorithms to automatically identify monolayer cell regions and searches for and images blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, etc.) within these regions. After necessary image processing, the intelligent recognition algorithm identifies the types and characteristics of the captured cells. Then, the captured cell images are categorized and displayed on a monitor according to the cell characteristics. Users, such as doctors, can adjust the instrument's classification results based on clinical experience and patient-related information to provide corresponding clinical diagnoses.

[0003] Current cell morphology analyzers focus only on local areas or individual cells in a smear, neglecting the morphology of the entire sample membrane (the thin film formed after the sample is applied to a glass slide, such as a blood membrane), thus ignoring information provided by the overall appearance of the sample membrane. For example, current cell morphology analyzers acquire magnified microscopic images of blood cells, allowing users to see only clear images of local areas or individual cells, but without understanding the area captured or the cell's position on the blood membrane. However, images of blood cells acquired at different locations on the blood membrane often have significant clinical value for users.

[0004] Furthermore, existing cell morphology analyzers typically use a uniform imaging mode or parameters to image samples from the same type of slides. However, not all slides are perfectly standardized; the morphology of the sample films on the slides varies, for example, some are longer than others. This results in different suitable or desired imaging positions on the slides. Using a uniform imaging mode or parameters may lead to the inability to capture suitable or desired sample images, or even prevent the acquisition of any sample images at all. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a technical solution that can fully utilize the appearance morphology information of the sample film on the sample slide. This technical solution can acquire the appearance image of the entire sample slide, especially the appearance image of the entire sample film on the sample slide, and use the information carried by the appearance image to guide the cell imaging of the cell morphology analyzer. This not only improves the automation and intelligence of the cell morphology analyzer, but also enables accurate acquisition of sample images.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned tasks, a first aspect of the present invention provides a sample image capturing system, comprising:

[0007] A sample holding device for holding a glass slide to which a thin film of the sample to be tested has been applied;

[0008] An imaging device for taking pictures of a sample on a glass slide held by the sample holding device;

[0009] A sample appearance image acquisition device is used to acquire a sample appearance image of the side of the glass slide to be tested on which the sample film to be tested is applied, wherein the sample appearance image includes at least the appearance image of the sample film;

[0010] The controller is communicatively connected to the imaging device and the sample appearance image acquisition device, and is configured to: acquire the sample appearance image from the sample appearance image acquisition device, identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image, determine the shooting parameters based on the appearance features, and control the imaging device to capture the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters.

[0011] A second aspect of the present invention provides a sample image capturing system, characterized in that the sample image capturing system comprises:

[0012] A sample holding device for holding a glass slide to which a thin film of the sample to be tested has been applied;

[0013] An imaging device for taking pictures of a sample on a glass slide held by the sample holding device;

[0014] The controller is communicatively connected to the imaging device and is configured to: receive imaging parameters corresponding to the appearance image of the sample slide under test, and control the imaging device to capture images of the sample components on the sample slide under test under the imaging parameters, wherein the appearance image of the sample includes at least the appearance image of the sample film.

[0015] Furthermore, a third aspect of the present invention provides a method for capturing sample images, comprising:

[0016] The sample appearance image is acquired from the sample appearance image acquisition device on the side of the glass slide to be tested on which the sample film to be tested is applied, and the sample appearance image includes at least the appearance image of the sample film;

[0017] Identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image and determine the shooting parameters based on the appearance features;

[0018] The imaging device is controlled to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested under the shooting parameters.

[0019] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implement the steps of the sample image capturing method provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0020] In this invention, the appearance features of the sample film are obtained from the appearance image of the side of the sample slide on which the sample film is applied, especially the appearance image of the sample film. Then, the imaging parameters of the imaging device are determined based on the appearance features of the sample film, so that the imaging device can accurately photograph the sample film, sample components such as blood film, or cells on the sample slide under the imaging parameters.

[0021] Other features and advantages of various aspects of the present invention can be found in the following description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of blood smears with different coating states;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram of a sample image capturing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of a sample glass slide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 An external image of a sample glass slide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a sample appearance image acquisition device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a sample slide support device horizontally supports the sample slide;

[0028] Figure 7This is a schematic structural diagram of a sample appearance image acquisition device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a sample slide support device vertically supports the sample slide.

[0029] Figure 8 and Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a sample appearance image acquisition device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a sample image capturing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a blood smear according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic flowchart of a sample image capturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 14 This is a schematic flowchart of a sample image capturing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 15 This is a schematic flowchart of a sample image capturing method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are merely used to distinguish the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this invention, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0038] As mentioned in the background section, not all sample slides are perfectly standard; that is, the sample films (or coatings) on the slides vary in shape, for example, some are longer and some are shorter. This results in different suitable or desired imaging positions and / or imaging areas on the sample slides.

[0039] For example, slides with a sample film can be prepared using a slide pusher. The slide pusher prepares the slide through processes such as sample collection, sample spreading or smearing, drying, staining, and cleaning. Slide pushers have stringent requirements in clinical testing, typically requiring the use of sample characteristics (e.g., HCT value, viscosity characteristics, residual tailing properties, etc.) as preparation parameters to control the slide pusher. Abnormalities in the slide pusher will directly affect the progress and accuracy of sample microscopy. Besides factors such as HCT value, viscosity characteristics, and residual tailing properties, which can cause abnormal slide pusher operation, the working condition of various components of the slide pusher, the cleanliness of related devices, and the detection accuracy of sensors can all lead to abnormal slide pushing or staining. For example, Figure 1 (a) is a schematic diagram of a normal blood sample slide. Cases where blood smear preparation does not meet expectations include: Figure 1 (b) shows a shorter blood film length. Figure 1 (c) shows a blood film length that is too long. Figure 1 (d) shows an excessively long blood film. Figure 1 (e) shows a blood film width that is too narrow. Figure 1 (f) shows an incomplete blood film. Figure 1 (g) shows the blood film deviated to one side. Figure 1 (h) shows a blood film with cavities, or Figure 1 (i) shows blood membranes with streaks, etc.

[0040] Therefore, if a uniform shooting method is used, such as a uniform shooting position and / or shooting area, it may result in unsuitable sample images, or even make it impossible to capture sample images.

[0041] Therefore, this invention proposes a solution that identifies whether there are any abnormalities in the application of the sample film or the preparation of the sample slide by using the appearance image of the sample film side of the sample slide. For example, it can identify the length, width, and tail shape of the sample film, or even identify whether there are voids, scratches, or stripes in the sample film. Then, it can adjust the imaging device to capture images based on the position and / or distribution characteristics of the sample film.

[0042] Therefore, such as Figure 2As shown, the present invention first provides a sample image capturing system 100, which includes a sample holding device 110, an imaging device 120, a sample appearance image acquisition device 130, and a controller 140.

[0043] The sample holding device 110 is configured to hold or support the sample slide 10 to which the sample film 11 is applied. The sample holding device 110 may, for example, be configured to be arranged opposite to the imaging device 120 and to be movable relative to the imaging device 120, such that the imaging device 120 can capture an image of the sample components in a specific region of the sample film 11 on the sample slide 10 supported on the sample holding device 110.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sample holding device 110 is configured, for example, as a detection stage capable of moving in a horizontal plane, which may have a groove for receiving the sample slide 10. In other embodiments, the sample holding device 110 may also be configured as a robotic arm capable of moving at least horizontally, which has grippers for holding the sample slide 10.

[0045] Imaging device 120 is configured to photograph a sample on a glass slide held by sample holding device 110 to obtain an image of the sample composition. For example, when the sample is a blood sample, the glass slide is a blood smear with a blood film applied, and the sample composition consists of particles in the blood sample, such as cells. In this case, imaging device 120 is used to photograph an image of the cells in the blood film on the blood smear. Of course, the sample of the present invention can also be bone marrow or body fluids, etc.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the imaging device 120 can also be referred to as a microscopic optical module. This microscopic optical module includes a lens group 121 and a first camera 122. The lens group 121 may include a first objective lens 1211 and a second objective lens 1212. The first objective lens 1211 may be, for example, a 10x or 40x objective lens, and the second objective lens 1212 may be, for example, a 40x or 100x objective lens. The lens group 121 may also include a switching mechanism 1213 for switching between the first objective lens 1211 and the second objective lens 1212, so that the first camera 122 can capture sample composition images at different magnifications.

[0047] Of course, in other embodiments, the imaging device 120 may also include only the first camera, that is, the lens group may be omitted.

[0048] The sample appearance image acquisition device 130 is configured to acquire a sample appearance image 20 of the side of the sample slide 10 to be tested on which the sample film 11 to be tested is applied, the sample appearance image including at least the appearance image of the sample film.

[0049] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a sample film 11, such as a blood film, is applied to the sample slide 10, and the sample appearance image 20 includes at least the appearance image 21 of the sample film. In addition, a sample identification part 12, such as a barcode label, may be provided on the sample film side of the sample slide 10, and the sample appearance image 20 may also include the appearance image 22 of the sample identification part 12.

[0050] In some embodiments, the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 may include a second camera 132, such as an image sensor and an imaging lens. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 may include a sample slide support device 131 for supporting the sample slide 10, such that the sample slide 10 is at a certain distance or space from the second camera 132. The second camera 132 is arranged opposite to the sample slide support device 131, so that the second camera 132 can capture an appearance image of the sample slide 10 supported on the sample slide support device 131. The sample slide support device 131 may be used to horizontally support the sample slide 10, such as... Figure 6 As shown. Alternatively, the sample slide support device 131 can also vertically support the sample slide 10, as shown. Figure 7 As shown.

[0051] exist Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 further includes an illumination source 133 and a background plate 134, such as a solid-color non-reflective background plate. The illumination source is configured to illuminate the sample slide 10 on the sample slide support device 131, providing suitable illumination for the second camera 132 to capture a clear and bright image of the sample slide appearance. Here, the illumination source 133 and the second camera 132 are arranged on one side of the sample slide 10, i.e., on the side facing the sample film 11 of the sample slide 10, while the background plate 134 is arranged on the other side of the sample slide 10, providing a uniform background free from interference or stray light. It is understood that the illumination source 133 and the background plate 134 can also be omitted.

[0052] Figure 8 and Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a sample slide support device 131 for vertically supporting a sample slide 10 is shown. The sample slide support device 131 includes a receiving groove 1311 with an opening at the top. The receiving groove 1311 is used to receive the sample slide 10. The receiving groove 1311 extends along the central axis 1312 of the sample slide support device 131, and the receiving groove 1311 has an opening 1313 at the top, through which the sample slide 10 is inserted into the receiving groove 1311.

[0053] In order to acquire an appearance image of the side of the sample slide 10 to which the sample film is applied, in some embodiments, one side of the receiving groove 1311 is open to the outside, so that the side of the sample slide 10 to which the sample film is applied is exposed to the outside, thereby enabling the second camera 132 to capture an appearance image of the sample slide 10.

[0054] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the sample slide support device 131 is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees in a predetermined rotation direction so as to drive the contained sample slide 10 to rotate at least 180 degrees around an axis extending along the length direction of the sample slide 10 in the predetermined rotation direction, so that the sample film side of the sample slide 10 contained in the sample slide support device 131 can always be placed within the shooting range of the second camera 132.

[0055] In some alternative embodiments, the sides of the receiving groove 1311 may be closed. By providing a slide gripping device 135, such as a robotic arm, to grip the sample slide 10 from the receiving groove 1311 of the sample slide support device 131, the sample film side of the sample slide 10 is placed within the shooting range of the second camera 132, so as to capture an image of the appearance of the sample film side of the sample slide 10.

[0056] Understandably, the smear gripping device 135 can be configured to rotate at least 180 degrees around its own axis to rotate the gripped sample slide 10, so that the sample film side of the sample slide 10 can always be placed within the shooting range of the second camera 132.

[0057] Preferably, the first camera 122 and the second camera 132 are different, that is, the second camera 132 and the first camera 122 are independent of each other.

[0058] Of course, in other embodiments, the first camera 122 can also be used as the second camera 132. In this case, the second camera 132 captures images of multiple regions of the sample film on the sample slide 10, and then stitches these images of multiple regions together to form an image that can characterize the appearance of the sample film.

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 may also be a software module integrated, for example, into a controller that will be described further below. In this case, the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 is configured to acquire sample appearance images from a camera that captures sample appearance images of the sample slide 10.

[0060] The controller 140 is connected to the imaging device 120 to control the imaging device 120 to image the sample components, such as cells, in the sample film 11 of the sample slide 10. Furthermore, the controller 140 is communicatively connected to the sample appearance image acquisition device 130 to acquire sample appearance images. Here, the controller 140 is configured to: acquire the sample appearance image from the sample appearance image acquisition device; identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image; determine imaging parameters based on the appearance features; and control the imaging device to image the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the imaging parameters.

[0061] like Figure 10 As shown, the controller 140 may include, for example, a processing component 221, RAM 222, ROM 223, a communication interface 224, a memory 226, and an I / O interface 225, wherein the processing component 221, RAM 222, ROM 223, communication interface 224, memory 226, and I / O interface 225 communicate via a bus 227.

[0062] The processing component can be a CPU, GPU, or other chip with computing power. The memory 226 contains various computer programs, such as the operating system and application programs, for the processor component 221 to execute, as well as the data required to execute those programs.

[0063] The I / O interface 225 consists of serial interfaces such as USB, IEEE1394, or RS-232C; parallel interfaces such as SCSI, IDE, or IEEE1284; and analog signal interfaces composed of D / A converters and A / D converters. Input devices such as keyboards, mice, touchscreens, or other control buttons can be connected to the I / O interface 225, allowing users to directly input data into the controller 240.

[0064] Communication interface 224 can be any known communication protocol. Communication interface 224 communicates with the outside world via a network. Controller 140 can transmit data with any device connected through the network via communication interface 224 using a certain communication protocol.

[0065] Furthermore, the sample image acquisition system 100 may also include a sample identification acquisition device 150, configured to acquire sample identification information of the sample slide 10. The sample identification acquisition device 120 may be hardware, such as a barcode scanner for scanning barcode labels, or a software module, such as a software module integrated into a controller described below; the present invention does not specifically limit this. Furthermore, the sample identification information may be label information on the sample slide, or randomly assigned or temporary information, as long as it can separate different sample slides; the present invention again does not specifically limit this.

[0066] In some embodiments, the sample identification device 150 is a barcode scanner, and the second camera 132 is integrated into the sample identification device 150 configured as a barcode scanner, that is, the sample identification device 150 is constructed as a barcode scanner with a camera. The barcode scanner with the camera is arranged opposite to the sample slide support device 131, so that the barcode scanner with the camera can scan the sample identification part, such as a barcode label, of the sample slide 10 supported on the sample slide support device 131 and simultaneously take a picture of the sample film side of the sample slide 10.

[0067] In addition, such as Figure 11 As shown, the sample image acquisition system 100 may further include a display device 200, which is configured to display at least an appearance image of the sample film. Alternatively, the display device may display an overall appearance image of the entire sample slide, including the sample film. Furthermore, the display device may also display sample identification information and sample composition images of the sample slide. In some embodiments, the display device may be connected to the I / O interface 225 of the controller. The display device may be, for example, an LCD screen, a touch screen, an LED display, etc., and the controller may enable the display device to display the appearance image, sample composition image, etc. of the sample slide in association with the sample identification information.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 11 As shown, the sample image acquisition system 100 also includes a sample slide preparation device (also referred to as a slide pusher) 300 and a transport device 400. The sample slide preparation device 300 is configured to apply a sample onto a blank slide to form a sample slide, for example, smearing a blood sample onto a blank slide to form a blood smear. The transport device 400 is configured to transport the sample slide 10 prepared by the sample slide preparation device 300 to the imaging device 120. The transport device 400 may be, for example, a track, through which the sample slide preparation device 300 transports the prepared sample slide to the entrance of the imaging device 120.

[0069] exist Figure 11 In one embodiment, the second camera 132 may be arranged in the sample slide preparation apparatus 300 or on the path of the transport device 400 that transports the sample slide.

[0070] The following describes how to use images of the sample's appearance, especially images of the sample film's appearance, to guide the imaging device 120 in taking pictures.

[0071] In this embodiment of the invention, the controller 140 is configured to acquire and analyze the appearance image of the sample slide, and control the imaging device 120 to capture images of the sample components in the sample film 11 based on the analysis results. This allows the imaging device 120 to use the appearance image of the sample slide, particularly the appearance image of the sample film, to guide the imaging process, thereby accurately capturing the desired sample component images and improving the automation and intelligence of the sample image capturing system.

[0072] In some embodiments, the appearance characteristics of the sample film include at least one of the positional characteristics and distribution characteristics of the sample film on the sample slide to be tested. In this embodiment, the positional characteristics may include positional information of the boundaries of the sample film formed on the sample slide to be tested and / or positional information of specific regions, such as the positional information of the two side edges of the sample film on the sample slide. The distribution characteristics may include thickness information of the sample film formed on the sample slide to be tested, and information regarding the presence of voids, streaks, etc.

[0073] Specifically, the appearance characteristics of the sample film may include, but are not limited to, features such as shape, outline, area, position, color, grayscale depth, width, and length.

[0074] In a specific example, the appearance characteristics of the sample film include its positional characteristics on the sample slide to be tested. Based on these positional characteristics, the location of the region of interest (ROI) within the sample film, i.e., the location of the area to be photographed, is determined, thereby guiding the imaging device 120 to photograph the sample components within the ROI located at that position. In other words, the controller 140 is configured to determine the location of the ROI on the sample slide based on the appearance characteristics (in this case, the imaging parameters are the positional information of the ROI on the sample slide), and control the imaging device 120 to photograph the ROI, specifically controlling the relative movement between the sample holding device 110 and the imaging device 120, so that the imaging device 120 can photograph the sample components within the determined ROI location. This allows direct positioning of the area to be scanned, i.e., directly to the ROI, avoiding large-scale scanning during imaging and increasing unnecessary shooting time. This enables the sample image capturing system 100 to automatically and accurately acquire images of the sample components within the ROI without increasing the shooting range to ensure the ROI is captured, thus improving the shooting speed.

[0075] Here, the region of interest may include, for example, the outline edge of the sample film 11. For instance, when the sample is a blood sample, the blood sample is applied to a glass slide to form a blood film with a specific tail shape. By analyzing the appearance image of the sample glass slide, the position and outline edge of the tail on the blood smear can be identified, so that the imaging device 120 can specifically capture images of the tail of the blood film. As another example, when the sample is a body fluid sample, the body fluid sample is usually applied to the middle of the glass slide. However, due to differences in the preparation of sample glass slides, the application of the body fluid sample may be deviated. By using the appearance image of the sample glass slide of the present invention, the position of the body fluid sample on the sample glass slide can be identified more accurately, and thus the imaging device 120 can accurately capture images of the body fluid sample on the sample glass slide.

[0076] In a specific example, such as Figure 12 As shown, when the sample slide is coated with a blood sample, the blood film on the sample slide, along the coating direction (arrows A to B), sequentially includes a head, a body, and a tail. The region of interest includes at least one of the tail 13 and edges 14 and 15 of the blood film. Because the shape of the blood film coated on the slide varies, the position of the region of interest, such as the tail and edges, also varies. Therefore, usually only the approximate location of the region of interest can be known in advance. If a fixed location of the region of interest is preset, it may be impossible to capture a complete image of the region of interest, or even to capture an image of the region of interest at all, thus missing important information about the sample slide and potentially preventing doctors from making accurate clinical judgments. Therefore, by using the appearance image of the sample film side of the sample slide obtained by this invention, the position and outline of the sample film on the sample slide can be analyzed, thereby determining the position of the region of interest on the sample slide, enabling the imaging device 120 to selectively capture images of the region of interest.

[0077] Furthermore, in order to determine the region of interest (ROI) of the sample film on the sample slide under test, the sample image acquisition system 100 also includes a pattern acquisition device 160 for acquiring an acquisition pattern of the sample slide under test. The acquisition pattern includes information about the ROI of the sample slide under test.

[0078] In some embodiments, a tag containing sample identification information is further provided on the slide to be tested, which is associated with the imaging mode of the slide. The mode acquisition device is configured to acquire the sample identification information of the slide to be tested from the tag on the slide. Here, the controller 140 is configured to acquire the imaging mode of the slide to be tested based on the sample identification information acquired from the mode acquisition device. The mode acquisition device may be, for example, the sample identification acquisition device described above.

[0079] In some embodiments, the controller 140 is configured to communicate with a blood analyzer or a central controller, the central controller being communicated with the blood analyzer, such that the controller can obtain the imaging pattern of the sample slide to be tested from the blood analyzer or the central controller based on the sample identification information obtained from the pattern acquisition device, wherein the imaging pattern of the sample slide to be tested is obtained by the blood analyzer detecting samples from the same subject as the samples on the sample slide to be tested and is stored in the blood analyzer or the central controller in association with the sample identification information of the sample slide to be tested.

[0080] Here, a blood analyzer is a device used to perform routine blood tests on blood or body fluid samples. When a blood analyzer detects an abnormality in a sample and requires further microscopic examination by a sample image acquisition system, the imaging pattern corresponding to the abnormality and the sample's identification information are associated and stored in the blood analyzer or a central controller connected to the blood analyzer. The controller of the sample image acquisition system can then obtain the imaging pattern from the blood analyzer or central controller based on the sample's identification information, and then obtain the region of interest from the obtained imaging pattern.

[0081] In some specific embodiments, the sample to be tested is a blood sample, and the sample slide is a blood smear coated with a blood film. The blood film on the blood smear includes a head, a body, and a tail in sequence along the smear direction. Here, the controller 140 is configured to: when the imaging mode acquired from the mode acquisition device is a platelet imaging mode, determine that the region of interest includes the edge and / or tail according to the platelet mode, determine the position of the edge and / or tail of the blood film on the sample slide according to the appearance features, and control the imaging device to image the sample components located at the edge and / or tail of the blood film at the determined position. For example, when the sample to be tested shows platelet abnormalities, the imaging mode is platelet imaging mode. The imaging region of interest corresponding to the platelet imaging mode includes the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane (because the probability of platelets appearing at the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane is higher). At this time, the controller 140 analyzes the position of the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane on the blood smear based on the blood membrane appearance image, and then controls the relative movement of the sample holding device 110 and the imaging device 120 so that the imaging device 120 can accurately capture the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane.

[0082] Furthermore, the controller 140 is configured to, when the imaging mode acquired from the mode acquisition device is a leukocyte imaging mode, determine the region of interest as the body based on the leukocyte mode, determine the position of the body of the blood membrane on the sample slide based on the appearance characteristics, and control the imaging device to image the sample component located in the body of the blood membrane at the determined position. For example, when the sample shows leukocyte abnormalities, the imaging mode is a leukocyte imaging mode, and the region of interest corresponding to the leukocyte imaging mode includes the body of the blood membrane. At this time, the controller analyzes the position of the body of the blood membrane on the blood smear and the appropriate imaging range based on the appearance image of the blood membrane, and then controls the relative movement of the sample holding device 110 and the imaging device 120 so that the imaging device 120 can accurately image the body region of the blood membrane.

[0083] Furthermore, the controller 140 is also configured to: when the imaging mode acquired from the mode acquisition device is a body fluid mode, determine the region of interest as the entire sample film of the sample slide under test based on the body fluid mode, determine the position and contour boundary of the sample film based on the appearance features, and control the imaging device to image the entire sample film of the sample slide under test according to the determined position and contour boundary. For example, when the sample under test is a body fluid sample, the imaging mode is a body fluid imaging mode, and the region of interest corresponding to the body fluid imaging mode is the entire sample film. At this time, the controller analyzes the position and boundary of the entire sample film on the sample slide under test based on the sample appearance image, and then controls the sample holding device 110 to move relative to the imaging device 120, so that the imaging device 120 can accurately image the entire sample film.

[0084] Alternatively or additionally, the controller 140 is configured to determine the imaging path and / or imaging range of the sample film on the sample slide under test based on the appearance characteristics of the sample film, and to control the imaging device 120 to image the sample film of the sample slide under test with the determined imaging path and / or imaging range.

[0085] Therefore, according to the present invention, the appropriate shooting position and shooting area of ​​the sample film can be identified based on the positional features and / or distribution features extracted from the sample appearance image, thereby accurately obtaining the required sample composition image, reducing false alarms, and improving the sample shooting speed.

[0086] In some embodiments, the sample appearance image according to the present invention can also be used to identify the sample type (peripheral blood, bone marrow, body fluid, malaria sample, etc.) so as to select the appropriate imaging mode (peripheral blood mode, bone marrow mode, body fluid mode, malaria mode, etc.) according to the sample type. Here, for example, the appearance shape, outline, area, and other characteristics of the sample film on the sample slide can be used to determine whether the sample is a peripheral blood sample, a body fluid sample, or a bone marrow sample.

[0087] That is, the controller 140 can also be configured to identify or determine the sample type of the sample film 11 based on the appearance features of the appearance image 20 of the sample slide 10, and control the imaging device 120 to capture images of the sample components in the sample film under the shooting parameters corresponding to the sample type of the sample film 11. This enables automatic identification of the type of sample slide to be tested and automatic adjustment of the shooting mode accordingly, so as to automatically execute the required shooting method for different types of sample slides.

[0088] The requirements for microscopic examination of different types of samples often differ, such as the imaging area or the number of images. Therefore, the sample type is often known before imaging the sample composition. The appearance image of the sample slide's thin film side obtained by this invention can identify the sample type. This is particularly advantageous when the sample imaging system cannot obtain the identification label information on the sample slide, ensuring that the sample composition image of the sample slide is correctly captured according to the normal procedure without alarms or stopping the imaging process.

[0089] In some embodiments, the imaging parameters corresponding to different types of samples can be preset by the user and stored in the memory of the controller 140 or in the memory of a central controller communicatively connected to the controller 140. When the controller 140 determines the type of the sample slide to be tested, it automatically retrieves the user-set imaging parameters to control the imaging device 120 to capture images of the sample slide according to the user's requirements. At this time, the sample image capturing system 100 may, for example, have a user-defined interactive interface or interface to store different imaging parameters (e.g., imaging area or number of images). When the controller 140 identifies different sample types, it automatically selects the user's preset imaging parameters to control the imaging device 120 to perform scanning and imaging according to those preset parameters.

[0090] Of course, in other embodiments, the shooting parameters corresponding to different types of samples can also be preset and saved by the equipment manufacturer.

[0091] Alternatively or additionally, the sample image acquisition system 100 includes an oil-dropping device (not shown) configured to drop oil (e.g., cedar oil) onto a sample slide held by a sample holding device, wherein the acquisition parameters include information about whether oil is dropped.

[0092] When the first camera 122 of the imaging device 120 takes an image of the sample slide under the high-power objective lens 1212 (or oil immersion lens), such as a 40x or 100x objective lens, it is usually necessary to add cedar oil to the sample slide using an oil-dropping device. This is because the oil immersion lens has a high magnification, but the lens is very small. When light passes through media of different densities, some light is refracted and lost, resulting in less light entering the lens tube, a darker field of view, and unclear observation of the object. Adding cedar oil between the high-power lens and the sample slide increases the amount of light entering the oil immersion lens, enhances the brightness of the field of view, and makes the image clearer.

[0093] Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can also determine whether oil has been applied to the sample film side of the sample slide under test based on the sample appearance image, in order to determine whether it is still necessary to apply oil to the sample slide under test using the oil-applying device. That is, the controller 140 is configured to: when it is determined based on the appearance characteristics that oil needs to be applied to the sample slide under test, control the oil-applying device to apply oil to the sample slide under test before controlling the imaging device to take a picture (especially under high magnification objective). This is particularly advantageous when re-imaging a sample slide that has already been photographed by the imaging device 120, as this can avoid re-applying oil to sample slides that have been coated with cedar oil.

[0094] Alternatively or additionally, embodiments of the present invention can also determine whether the sample slide meets the imaging requirements based on the sample appearance image, and issue an alarm for sample slides that may affect the analysis results or are unsuitable for imaging. For example, when an anomaly is determined based on the sample appearance image, such as a malfunction in the slide pusher, the absence of a sample coating, damage to the slide, or a mismatch between the sample type and sample identity, an alarm is output. In this case, the preferred imaging device 120 will no longer image the sample slide with the anomaly.

[0095] The following describes a sample image capturing method 1000 according to the present invention, which is implemented in particular by various embodiments of the sample image capturing system 100 described above. In particular, the sample image capturing method 1000 is implemented by the controller 140 of the sample image capturing system 100.

[0096] like Figure 13 As shown, the sample image acquisition method 1000 includes the following steps:

[0097] S1100, acquire a sample appearance image 20 of the side of the sample slide 10 to be tested on which the sample film 11 is applied, wherein the sample appearance image 20 includes at least an appearance image 21 of the sample film 11. In this step, the sample appearance image 20 is acquired from the sample appearance image acquisition device 130.

[0098] S1200, Identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image 20.

[0099] S1300, determine the shooting parameters based on the aforementioned appearance characteristics.

[0100] S1400, the imaging device 120 is controlled to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters.

[0101] This allows for automatic adjustment of shooting parameters based on the appearance features obtained from the appearance image of the sample film or sample coating, thereby improving shooting efficiency and accuracy.

[0102] In some embodiments, such as Figure 14 As shown, step S1200 may include step S1201: identifying at least one of the positional and distribution characteristics of the sample film on the sample slide under test based on the sample appearance image. Correspondingly, step S1300 may include step S1301: determining the location of the region of interest (ROI) of the sample film on the sample slide under test based on the appearance characteristics; step S1400 may include step S1401: controlling the imaging device to capture images of the sample components within the ROI located at the specified position.

[0103] Furthermore, such as Figure 14 As shown, before step S1301, the sample image acquisition method 1000 includes step S1500: acquiring the acquisition mode of the sample slide to be tested, and determining the region of interest based on the acquisition mode.

[0104] In one specific embodiment, the sample slide to be tested is a blood smear coated with a blood film, wherein the blood film on the blood smear sequentially includes a head, a body, and a tail along the smearing direction. Here, as... Figure 15 As shown, step S1301 may include step S1302: when the imaging mode is platelet imaging mode, the region of interest is determined to include the edge and / or tail according to the platelet mode, and the position of the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane on the sample slide is determined according to the appearance characteristics; step S1401 may include step S1402: control the imaging device to capture the sample components located at the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane at the determined position.

[0105] Furthermore, such as Figure 15 As shown, step S1301 may include step S1303: when the imaging mode is the white blood cell imaging mode, the region of interest is determined to be the body part according to the white blood cell mode, and the position of the body part of the blood membrane on the sample slide to be tested is determined according to the appearance characteristics; step S1401 may include step S1403: control the imaging device to capture the sample components located in the body part of the blood membrane at the determined position.

[0106] Alternatively or additionally, step S1300 includes: determining the imaging path and / or imaging range of the sample film on the sample slide to be tested based on the appearance characteristics; step S1400 includes: controlling the imaging device to capture the sample film on the sample slide to be tested with the imaging path and / or imaging range.

[0107] For example, for a sample slide prepared from a peripheral blood sample, according to the present invention, the length, width, tail shape, etc. of the blood film (blood coating) are identified by the appearance image of the sample, thereby determining the shooting position and shooting area, especially avoiding abnormal shooting areas such as holes, stripes, scratches, etc.

[0108] For bodily fluid samples, the present invention can automatically switch to bodily fluid mode and perform imaging and analysis according to the user-preset imaging mode. By further analyzing the sample appearance image, the location of the bodily fluid smear (sample coating or sample film) and the outline boundary of the bodily fluid smear (sample imaging range) are determined. Based on the determined location and outline boundary, the relative movement between the imaging device and the sample holding device is controlled, so that the imaging device can image the sample components within the sample imaging range at the determined coating location.

[0109] Alternatively or additionally, step S1300 may include: determining the type of the sample film based on the appearance characteristics; correspondingly, step S1400 may include: controlling the imaging device to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under test at imaging parameters corresponding to the type of the sample film.

[0110] Other advantages and features of the sample image acquisition method 1000 can be found in the above description of the sample image capturing system 100 of the present invention, and will not be repeated here.

[0111] The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the following method steps:

[0112] Acquire an image of the appearance of the sample slide on the side where the sample film is applied, wherein the image of the sample appearance includes at least the image of the sample film.

[0113] Identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image and determine the shooting parameters based on the appearance features;

[0114] The imaging device is instructed to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested under the specified imaging parameters.

[0115] The computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention is particularly used for implementing the sample image capturing method 1000.

[0116] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or both. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, magnetic random access memory, flash memory, magnetic surface memory, optical disk, or read-only optical disk; magnetic surface memory can be disk storage or magnetic tape storage. Volatile memory can be random access memory used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory, synchronous static random access memory, dynamic random access memory, synchronous dynamic random access memory, double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory, enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory, synchronous linked dynamic random access memory, and direct memory bus random access memory.

[0117] All features or combinations of features mentioned above in the specification, drawings, and claims, as long as they are meaningful within the scope of this invention and do not contradict each other, can be used in any combination or individually. The advantages and features described for the sample image capturing system provided by this invention are correspondingly applied to the sample image capturing method and computer-readable storage medium provided by this invention, and vice versa.

[0118] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent transformations made based on the inventive concept of the present invention and the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sample image capturing system, comprising: A sample holding device for holding a glass slide to which a thin film of the sample to be tested has been applied; An imaging device for taking pictures of a sample on a glass slide held by the sample holding device; A sample appearance image acquisition device is used to acquire a sample appearance image of the side of the glass slide to be tested on which the sample film to be tested is applied, wherein the sample appearance image includes at least the appearance image of the sample film; The controller is communicatively connected to the imaging device and the sample appearance image acquisition device, and is configured to: acquire the sample appearance image from the sample appearance image acquisition device, identify the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image, determine the shooting parameters based on the appearance features, and control the imaging device to capture the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters; The appearance features include at least one of the following: shape, outline, area, position, distribution, color, grayscale depth, width, and length of the sample film. The controller is configured to determine imaging parameters based on the appearance features and control the imaging device to image the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the imaging parameters. This includes: the controller being configured to determine the position of the region of interest (ROI) of the sample film on the sample slide under the test based on the at least one feature, and controlling the imaging device to image the sample components within the ROI located at the stated position; and The sample image acquisition system further includes a pattern acquisition device for acquiring the imaging pattern of the sample slide to be tested. The controller is communicatively connected to the pattern acquisition device and configured to: acquire the imaging pattern of the sample slide to be tested from the pattern acquisition device before determining the location of the region of interest, and determine the region of interest based on the imaging pattern. The imaging pattern includes at least one of peripheral blood pattern, bone marrow pattern, body fluid pattern, and malaria pattern, and the imaging pattern includes information about the region of interest of the sample slide to be tested.

2. The sample image capturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The appearance features include at least one of the positional and distribution features of the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested; The controller is configured to determine the location of the region of interest of the sample film on the sample slide under test based on at least one of the location features and distribution features.

3. The sample image capturing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sample slide to be tested is a blood smear with a blood film, and the blood film on the blood smear includes a head, a body and a tail in sequence along the smearing direction; The peripheral blood mode includes a platelet imaging mode; The controller is configured to: when the imaging mode acquired from the mode acquisition device is the platelet imaging mode, determine the region of interest including the edge and / or tail according to the platelet mode, determine the position of the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane on the sample slide according to at least one of the position features and distribution features, and control the imaging device to capture the sample component located at the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane at the determined position.

4. The sample image capturing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sample slide to be tested is a blood smear with a blood film, and the blood film on the blood smear includes a head, a body and a tail in sequence along the smearing direction; The peripheral blood mode includes a white blood cell imaging mode; The controller is configured to, when the imaging mode acquired from the mode acquisition device is the white blood cell imaging mode, determine the region of interest as the body based on the white blood cell mode, determine the position of the body of the blood film on the sample slide based on at least one of the position features and distribution features, and control the imaging device to capture the sample components located in the body of the blood film at the determined position.

5. The sample image capturing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The glass slide containing the sample identification information is also provided on the sample slide. This sample identification information is associated with the shooting mode of the glass slide. The pattern acquisition device is configured to acquire the sample identity information of the sample slide from the label of the sample slide to be tested; The controller is configured to acquire the imaging mode of the sample slide under test based on the sample identity information obtained from the mode acquisition device.

6. The sample image capturing system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The controller is configured to communicate with a blood analyzer or a central controller, which is also connected to the blood analyzer. The controller can then obtain the imaging pattern of the sample slide from the blood analyzer or the central controller based on sample identification information obtained from the pattern acquisition device. The imaging pattern of the sample slide is obtained by the blood analyzer from detecting samples from the same subject as those on the sample slide and is stored in the blood analyzer or the central controller in association with the sample identification information of the sample slide.

7. The sample image capturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The appearance features include at least one of the positional and distribution features of the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested; The controller is configured to determine the imaging path and / or imaging range of the sample film on the sample slide under test based on at least one of the positional features and the distribution features, and to control the imaging device to image the sample film on the sample slide under test with the imaging path and / or imaging range.

8. The sample image capturing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The sample image capturing system includes an oil-drip device, configured to drip oil onto a glass slide of the sample to be tested held by the sample holding device, wherein the capturing parameters include whether to drip oil; The controller is configured to: when it is determined based on the appearance characteristics that oil should be dripped onto the glass slide of the sample to be tested, control the oil dripping device to drip oil onto the glass slide of the sample to be tested before controlling the imaging device to take a picture.

9. The sample image capturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to determine the type of the sample film based on the appearance characteristics, and to control the imaging device to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under test at imaging parameters corresponding to the type of the sample film.

10. The sample image capturing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The imaging device includes a first camera, and the sample appearance image acquisition device includes a second camera, different from the first camera of the imaging device, for capturing the sample appearance image.

11. The sample image capturing system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The sample appearance image acquisition device also includes a sample slide support device for vertically supporting the sample slide to be tested. The sample slide support device includes a receiving groove with a top opening for accommodating the sample slide to be tested. The sample image capturing system also includes a slide clamping device, which is used to clamp the sample slide to be tested from the receiving groove of the sample slide support device, so that the side of the sample slide to be tested with the sample film applied is within the shooting range of the second camera, so as to capture the appearance image of the sample.

12. The sample image capturing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, A sample identification part is also provided on the side of the glass slide on which the sample film is applied, and the sample appearance image also includes the appearance image of the sample identification part.

13. A sample image capturing system, characterized in that, The sample image acquisition system includes: A sample holding device for holding a glass slide to which a thin film of the sample to be tested has been applied; An imaging device for taking pictures of a sample on a glass slide held by the sample holding device; A controller, communicatively connected to the imaging device, is configured to: receive imaging parameters corresponding to the appearance image of the sample slide to be tested, and control the imaging device to capture images of the sample components on the sample slide under the imaging parameters, wherein the appearance image includes at least the appearance image of the sample film, and the imaging parameters are determined based on the appearance features of the sample film identified from the appearance image, the appearance features including at least one of the following: shape, outline, area, position, distribution, color, grayscale depth, width, and length of the sample film; The imaging parameters include the location of the region of interest (ROI) of the sample film on the sample slide, determined according to at least one feature. The ROI is determined according to the imaging mode of the sample slide, wherein the imaging mode includes at least one of peripheral blood mode, bone marrow mode, body fluid mode, and malaria mode, and the imaging mode includes information about the ROI of the sample slide. The controller is configured to control the imaging device to capture images of sample components in a sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters, including: the controller is configured to control the imaging device to capture images of sample components in the region of interest located at the position.

14. A method for capturing a sample image, comprising: The sample appearance image is acquired from the sample appearance image acquisition device on the side of the glass slide to be tested on which the sample film to be tested is applied, and the sample appearance image includes at least the appearance image of the sample film; The appearance features of the sample film are identified based on the sample appearance image. The appearance features include at least one of the following: shape, outline, area, position, distribution, color, grayscale depth, width, and length of the sample film. Determining imaging parameters based on the appearance features, wherein determining imaging parameters based on the appearance features includes: determining the location of the region of interest (ROI) of the sample film on the sample slide based on the at least one feature; and The imaging device is controlled to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters, wherein controlling the imaging device to capture images includes controlling the imaging device to capture images of the sample components in the region of interest located at the position. The sample image acquisition method further includes: acquiring the imaging mode of the sample slide to be tested from the pattern acquisition device before determining the location of the region of interest, and determining the region of interest based on the imaging mode, wherein the imaging mode includes at least one of peripheral blood mode, bone marrow mode, body fluid mode, and malaria mode, and the imaging mode includes information about the region of interest of the sample slide to be tested.

15. The sample image capturing method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Identifying the appearance features of the sample film based on the sample appearance image includes: identifying at least one of the positional features and distribution features of the sample film on the glass slide to be tested based on the sample appearance image; Determining the imaging parameters based on the appearance features includes: determining the location of the region of interest on the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested based on at least one of the positional features and distribution features.

16. The sample image capturing method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The sample slide to be tested is a blood smear with a blood film, and the blood film on the blood smear includes a head, a body and a tail in sequence along the smearing direction; The peripheral blood mode includes a platelet imaging mode; Determining the imaging parameters based on the appearance features includes: when the imaging mode is the platelet imaging mode, determining the region of interest to include the edge and / or tail based on the platelet mode, and determining the position of the edge and / or tail of the blood film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested based on at least one of the position features and distribution features; Controlling the imaging device to capture images of the region of interest includes controlling the imaging device to capture images of sample components located at the edge and / or tail of the blood membrane at a determined position.

17. The sample image capturing method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The sample slide to be tested is a blood smear with a blood film, and the blood film on the blood smear includes a head, a body and a tail in sequence along the smearing direction; The peripheral blood mode includes a white blood cell imaging mode; Determining the imaging parameters based on the appearance features includes: when the imaging mode is the white blood cell imaging mode, determining the region of interest as the body based on the white blood cell mode, and determining the position of the body of the blood film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested based on at least one of the position features and distribution features; Controlling the imaging device to capture images of the region of interest includes controlling the imaging device to capture images of sample components located in the body of the blood membrane at a determined position.

18. The sample image capturing method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The appearance features include at least one of the positional features and morphological distribution features of the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested; Determining the shooting parameters based on the appearance features includes: determining the shooting path and / or shooting range of the sample film on the glass slide of the sample to be tested based on at least one of the position features and the distribution features; Controlling the imaging device to capture images of the region of interest includes controlling the imaging device to capture images of the sample film of the sample slide under test using the capture path and / or capture range.

19. The sample image capturing method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Determining the shooting parameters based on the appearance characteristics includes: determining the type of the sample film based on the appearance characteristics; Controlling the imaging device to capture images includes controlling the imaging device to capture images of the sample components in the sample film on the sample slide under the shooting parameters corresponding to the type of the sample film.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the sample image capturing method as described in any one of claims 14 to 19.

Images