Helical Block Scanning for Biopsy Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image processing systems for cellular inspection require extensive manual focusing, leading to high manpower consumption and potential loss of valid images due to abrupt changes in focal length when scanning across a biopsy specimen, especially when moving from central to boundary blocks.
Innovation Solution
A high-speed automatic scanning system using AI assistance that divides the slide glass into blocks and sub-blocks, allowing for helical scanning from the central position to neighboring blocks, reducing the need for frequent focusing adjustments and capturing images in a sequential manner, thereby minimizing focusing cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If focusing is undertaken once in each shooting for 900-1600 blocks, then each block can be captured, but the manpower consumption increases significantly with 900-1600 focusing cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the slide glass into blocks and further divides each block into sub-blocks. By capturing multiple sub-blocks within a single focus position, the system reduces the total number of focusing cycles from 900-1600 to approximately 100-200, significantly decreasing time consumption while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary focusing on each block before capturing all sub-blocks within that block. This preliminary action allows multiple images to be captured at the same focus position, eliminating the need for repeated focusing operations and reducing overall focusing time.
2Productivity
If the camera is moved to boundary blocks and returned to central blocks, then all blocks can be scanned, but abrupt changes in focal length cause the camera to fail refocusing
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the scanning area into blocks and sub-blocks, the system can capture multiple sub-blocks at each focus position before moving to the next block. This segmentation allows the camera to remain at a stable focus position longer, avoiding abrupt focal length changes and improving refocusing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the scanning path to move between blocks in a controlled manner, performing focusing at each block's central position before capturing surrounding sub-blocks. This dynamic approach maintains focus stability while ensuring complete scanning coverage.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple pictures are taken from each block, then more images are captured, but the number of focusing cycles increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
Each block is divided into multiple sub-blocks that can be captured at a single focus position. This segmentation allows the system to increase the number of captured images without proportionally increasing focusing cycles, as multiple sub-blocks are imaged during one focus event.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the capture of multiple sub-blocks into a single focusing operation. By combining several image captures that would otherwise require separate focusing cycles into one unified operation, the system increases image quantity while minimizing additional time expenditure.
Data Source
AI summary
A high-speed automatic scanning system for interpreting images with AI assistance and method using the same are provided. The system includes a control computer and an image capture platform. Scanning parameters of the image capture platform, including a helically-clockwise or helically-counterclockwise scanning path, is set by the control computer. After the scanning path is selected, the image capture platform aligns a camera to focus on a central block and respectively captures images of the central block's sub-blocks. Until all the blocks have been scanned, the image capture platform repeats the following procedure: moving the focusing position to a next neighboring block according to the scanning path, focusing on the next neighboring block, and capturing images of the sub-blocks of the next neighboring block. The present invention can fast perform scanning, exempted from performing focusing for every image, reducing the cycles and time of focusing.