Cytology Slide Object Organization for Detection Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Pap smear methods suffer from high false negative rates due to the vast number of cells that cytotechnologists must review, leading to technician fatigue and increased costs, as well as a decline in cervical cancer detection efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that organize objects of interest within fields of interest on a cytological specimen slide, using image processing to identify and prioritize cells based on physical attributes, ensuring the highest risk cells are included while minimizing the number of fields to review, thereby reducing the workload and improving detection efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a technician reviews all cells on a cytological specimen slide, then detection sensitivity is improved, but technician fatigue increases and review time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidreview time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and identifies only the objects of interest (OOIs) from the vast number of cells on the slide using image processing and pattern recognition. By taking out only the pertinent cells that require review and presenting them to the technician, the system maintains detection sensitivity while dramatically reducing review time and technician fatigue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated system acts as an intermediary between the slide and the technician. It processes the entire slide, identifies OOIs, and presents a filtered subset to the technician for review. This intermediary step eliminates the need for the technician to manually scan all cells, reducing review time while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a technician reviews all cells on a cytological specimen slide, then detection sensitivity is improved, but technician fatigue increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidtechnician fatigue

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the pertinent objects of interest from the slide and presents them to the technician. By eliminating the need to review irrelevant cells, the system reduces technician fatigue while maintaining detection sensitivity through automated identification of suspicious cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically scanning, identifying, and prioritizing cells for review. This automation handles the tedious task of reviewing all cells, allowing the technician to focus only on the identified OOIs, thereby reducing fatigue while maintaining high detection sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Area of stationary object

If the number of fields of interest to review is increased, then coverage of the slide is improved, but review time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslide coverageVSAvoidreview time

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of field of interest size and dynamically adjusts the number of FOIs based on the distribution and density of OOIs. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves comprehensive slide coverage while minimizing the number of fields the technician must review, thereby reducing review time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial action by reviewing only the essential fields containing OOIs rather than every possible field on the slide. This selective approach ensures adequate coverage of suspicious areas while avoiding unnecessary review of clear fields, thus reducing review time without compromising detection sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Productivity

If image processing is used to identify objects of interest, then review efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereview efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical process of manual cell review with automated image processing and pattern recognition. This substitution significantly improves review efficiency by rapidly analyzing the slide and identifying OOIs, while the complexity is managed through automated algorithms that require minimal manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS7590492B2Method and system for organizing multiple objects of interest in field of interest

Publication Date: 2009.09.15 CYTYC CORP

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer software for screening and assisting in screening biological specimens. Images of a biological specimen are obtained, and image data is generated from the images. Objects of interest (OOI) are identified from the image data. The OOIs are assigned to each of a plurality of fields of interest (FOIs), at least partially based on the assignment of OOIs to other FOIs. For example, OOIs that have not previously been assigned to other FOIs can be assigned to a selected FOI. In this manner, the OOIs can be grouped within the FOIs to maximize the number of OOIs included within FOIs, or alternatively, to minimize the number of FOIs required to include all of the OOIs. Once assignment of the OOIs is complete, a field of view (FOV) can be scanned relative to each FOI in order to present the OOIs to a technician, such as a cytotechnologist.