Microscope Calibration Plate Inter-Microscope Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
In molecular pathology imaging, achieving consistent and high-quality composite images across multiple microscopes is challenging due to the need for calibration of optical, geometric, and illumination properties, especially when one microscope is down or handling multiple tissue samples, leading to inefficiencies and potential image registration errors.
Innovation Solution
A method for inter-microscope calibration using a calibration plate to generate geometric, optical, and illumination calibration data, allowing microscopes to be calibrated independently and interchangeably, with the calibration data stored for use in image acquisition protocols, enabling accurate image registration across multiple microscopes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a master microscope is used as the reference standard for calibration, then inter-microscope calibration can be established, but the validity of calibrations becomes vulnerable to changes or failures of the master microscope
Solution Approach 1:
A calibration plate with known geometric features serves as an intermediary reference standard between microscopes. The plate contains patterns with precisely defined dimensions that can be imaged by any microscope to determine calibration parameters, eliminating direct dependency on a master microscope while maintaining calibration validity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on a single master microscope, the calibration reference is copied into a physical calibration plate that can be used with multiple microscopes. The plate contains replicated geometric patterns that serve as the reference, allowing each microscope to be calibrated independently against the same physical standard.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive calibration is performed on all microscopes to ensure consistent composite images, then image registration accuracy is improved, but microscope throughput and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Calibration is performed in advance using a calibration plate before actual imaging workflows begin. The calibration parameters are stored and reused for subsequent imaging, eliminating the need for repeated comprehensive calibration and allowing microscopes to maintain high throughput while ensuring registration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing full comprehensive calibration repeatedly, the system performs calibration once using the calibration plate and then uses stored parameters for multiple imaging sessions. This partial calibration approach maintains sufficient accuracy for image registration while maximizing microscope productivity.
3Productivity
If multiple microscopes are used to handle tissue samples and perform multi-round imaging, then productivity is improved, but load-balancing and calibration management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration plate serves as a universal reference standard that can be used with any microscope in the fleet. This universal approach allows microscopes to be calibrated independently using the same reference, simplifying calibration management across multiple devices and enabling flexible load-balancing without calibration coordination overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches are disclosed for calibrating a plurality of imaging devices, such as microscopes. In certain implementations, a calibration plate is employed that includes a variety of calibration features. The calibration features comprise a geometric calibration, an illumination calibration, and an optical calibration. Imaging devices calibrated in accordance with the present approaches may be used to generate images having consistent attributes, such as brightness, regardless of which imaging device is employed.