Embedded Block Cassette for Tissue Section Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing immunohistochemical staining method for cancer tissue inspection faces errors due to variance in tissue section thickness and suboptimal fixing treatment, leading to inconsistent staining results and accuracy issues.
Innovation Solution
A tissue section selection method and embedded block-preparing cassette that embeds both biological tissue and a standard substance in the same agent, allowing for optimal tissue section selection based on light signals from the standard substance, ensuring consistent thickness and proper fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If tissue sections are sliced using a microtome, then tissue sections can be prepared for inspection, but variance in thickness occurs due to operator skill, environment, and tissue type
Solution Approach 1:
A standard substance is introduced as an intermediary reference object alongside the biological tissue in the same embedded block. This standard substance provides a known thickness reference that mediates the thickness measurement and selection process, enabling objective selection of appropriately thick tissue sections without relying solely on operator skill.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a reference copy (standard substance) that replicates the desired thickness characteristic. By embedding both the biological tissue and the standard substance with known thickness in the same block, the standard substance serves as a template or copy that guides the selection of tissue sections with appropriate thickness.
2Productivity
If tissue sections of varying thickness are used for inspection, then more tissue can be processed, but staining intensity becomes inconsistent and inspection accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The standard substance provides a feedback mechanism for thickness verification. By comparing the tissue section thickness against the known thickness of the standard substance in the same embedded block, operators can feedback-adjust their selection criteria to ensure consistent staining intensity and inspection accuracy while maintaining efficient processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality control by ensuring that each tissue section is evaluated and selected based on its specific thickness quality in relation to the standard substance. This allows different tissue sections to be selectively used based on their individual thickness characteristics, ensuring optimal staining intensity for each section while maintaining overall productivity.
3Reliability
If separate control slides are used for staining suitability determination, then staining quality can be monitored, but additional time and resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control function with the sample processing by embedding both the biological tissue and the standard substance in the same embedded block. This consolidation allows simultaneous processing and quality control in a single workflow, eliminating the need for separate control slides and reducing time consumption while maintaining reliable staining quality control.
4Manufacturing precision
If tissue fixation is not optimized, then processing is simpler, but inspection accuracy is compromised due to improper fixing state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the standard substance into the embedded block preparation process before tissue sectioning. This pre-established reference allows for the evaluation and optimization of tissue fixation quality in advance, ensuring that tissues are properly fixed without requiring overly complex fixation procedures.
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
This approach ensures accurate and consistent inspection results by selecting tissue sections of optimal thickness and fixing state, reducing errors and improving the reliability of cancer tissue inspection.
Implementation Method 1
a light signal from the standard substance section
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is to provide a tissue slice selection method and an embedded block-preparing cassette which are capable of suppressing occurrence of errors in inspection results. The present invention makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of errors in inspection results by including: an embedded block-preparing process of preparing an embedded block by embedding both a biological tissue fragment and a standard substance in the same embedding agent; an embedded tissue slice preparing step of slicing the embedded block to prepare a sheet-like embedded tissue slice having a tissue slice and standard substance slices appearing on a surface thereof; and a tissue slice selecting step of selecting the tissue slice to be inspected, based on a light signal from the standard substance slice.