Antibiotic Susceptibility Imaging via Interference Pattern Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring antibiotic susceptibility, such as colony counting and disk diffusion, are time-consuming and prone to human error, requiring lengthy culturing times and manual measurements.
Innovation Solution
An antibiotic susceptibility evaluation apparatus that uses coherent light to derive a spatial correlation of interference patterns from sample images, allowing rapid evaluation by analyzing the change in interference patterns over time without waiting for colony formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the disk diffusion method is used to evaluate antimicrobial activity, then the evaluation time and cost are reduced compared to colony counting, but the culturing time remains lengthy (16-24 hours) and manual measurement introduces variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement with automated image processing. The system captures images of the agar plate and automatically measures inhibition zone diameters using image analysis software, eliminating human error and variability in measurement while maintaining the disk diffusion method's time efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies (images) of the agar plate and analyzes these copies to determine inhibition zones. Instead of direct manual measurement, the system uses image processing to measure the diameter of inhibition zones, providing consistent and reproducible results
2Measurement precision
If the colony counting method is used to obtain quantitative antimicrobial activity, then measurement precision is improved, but the time required for repeated experiments and culturing increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary image capture at the start of the experiment (time zero) and continuously monitors changes. By capturing the initial state and comparing it with subsequent images, the system can quantify antimicrobial activity without requiring extended culturing time, as the inhibition zones are visible and measurable from the beginning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing in a fraction of the time required by conventional methods, reducing human error and improving accuracy through automated image analysis.
Implementation Method 1
obtain a spatial correlation of an interference pattern between the first sample image and the second sample image
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an antibiotic susceptibility evaluation apparatus including a sample unit including a sample and at least an antibiotic disk arranged on the sample, a light source radiating coherent light to the sample unit, an image sensor detecting transmitted light passing through the sample unit to obtain a sample image, and a controller configured to receive a first sample image, which is an image of the sample at an initial time when the antibiotic disk is arranged on the sample unit, and a second sample image, which is an image of the sample after a preset time, to obtain a spatial correlation of an interference pattern between the first sample image and the second sample image, and to evaluate susceptibility of the sample to antibiotics based on the spatial correlation according a position.