Image-Based Smear Preparation Quality Control With Facility-Specific Indexes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quality control methods for smear preparations are inadequate under varying smearing/staining conditions across different facilities, regions, or countries, as they rely on a single index that may not account for diverse conditions.
Innovation Solution
A quality control method and apparatus that sets specific indexes for each facility using control index information, obtains feature values from image data, and outputs quality control information based on these indexes, accommodating diverse smearing/staining conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single index is used for quality control, then the quality control method is simple, but it cannot properly perform quality control under diverse smearing/staining conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the quality control approach into multiple independent indexes (e.g., nuclear region color, cytoplasm color, granule color, cell morphology) that can be evaluated separately. Each index addresses a specific aspect of the staining quality, allowing the system to adapt to diverse smearing/staining conditions by selecting and weighting relevant indexes without requiring a complete redesign of the quality control method.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic quality control system where the selection and weighting of indexes can be adjusted based on the specific smearing/staining conditions. The system dynamically determines which indexes are most relevant for a given facility's conditions and adjusts their importance weights accordingly, enabling adaptability without fixed rigid structures.
2Measurement precision
If multiple indexes are used for quality control, then the quality control accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the quality control method increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by allowing users to select only the necessary subset of indexes based on their specific needs and conditions. Rather than requiring all possible indexes to be evaluated, the system enables selective application of indexes that are most relevant to the facility's smearing/staining conditions, reducing complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of index weighting, allowing each index to have a configurable weight that reflects its importance for specific conditions. This enables the system to maintain high measurement precision by emphasizing critical indexes while de-emphasizing or excluding less relevant ones, effectively managing the complexity-precision trade-off through parameter adjustment.
3Reliability
If facility-specific indexes are set, then the quality control appropriateness is improved, but the setup complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal quality control framework that can function across diverse facilities by providing a standardized set of indexes and configuration mechanisms. The same system structure serves multiple facilities with different conditions, allowing each facility to customize their specific indexes through a unified interface, thereby reducing setup complexity through standardization while maintaining local appropriateness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables facilities to perform self-configuration of their specific indexes and weights based on their own smearing/staining conditions. The system provides tools and interfaces that allow facility personnel to independently set up and adjust their quality control parameters without requiring complex external configuration or specialized assistance, reducing the burden of setup while ensuring local reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of quality control of a specimen prepared from a sample, includes: (S1) setting, from a control index information (MII) in which a plurality of indexes for the specimen are respectively associated with control values corresponding to the plurality of indexes, at least one index to be used for quality control of the specimen; (S3) obtaining a feature value relating to the at least one index from image data of the specimen; and (S5) outputting quality control information of the specimen based on the feature value and a control value associated with the at least one index.