3D Virtual Microscope Slides for Thick Specimen Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional remote controlled microscopes and imaging systems face challenges with slow feedback loops due to time lag, limited bandwidth, and latency, making it difficult to achieve perfect focus and view entire specimens at high resolution, especially when dealing with thick specimens.
Innovation Solution
A system that combines image acquisition devices, image data servers, and image viewing workstations to enable responsive, high-bandwidth, low-latency interaction for creating and viewing three-dimensional virtual microscope slides, allowing for scanning and focusing at multiple depth levels (Z-planes) of specimens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote controlled microscopes are used to view thick specimens, then the ability to control focus plane is improved, but the time lag and latency increase making the feedback loop difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning of the entire specimen at low magnification to create a navigation map before high-resolution viewing. This allows the operator to pre-identify areas of interest and plan the viewing sequence, reducing the need for repeated back-and-forth adjustments and minimizing perceived latency during detailed examination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a low-resolution copy or overview image of the entire specimen that can be viewed instantly without latency. This navigation map serves as a copy that allows the operator to orient themselves and select regions for detailed viewing, eliminating the time lag associated with real-time focusing and positioning during high-resolution examination.
2Area of stationary object
If conventional imaging systems are used to capture entire specimen, then the field of view is improved, but the images are limited to a single focus level
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from single-plane 2D imaging to multi-planar 3D imaging by capturing images at multiple Z-planes (depth levels). This allows the specimen to be viewed in three dimensions while maintaining the ability to see the entire specimen area, effectively adding the depth dimension to the conventional wide-field imaging capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the thick specimen into multiple thin sections or Z-planes, capturing an image at each depth level. These segmented images can then be individually viewed or combined to create a composite three-dimensional representation, allowing comprehensive viewing of the entire specimen volume while maintaining large field of view.
3Measurement precision
If high resolution scanning is performed on large specimen regions, then the image quality is improved, but the time required to scan and view entire specimen increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the large specimen into multiple smaller regions or tiles that can be scanned and viewed independently. This segmentation allows the operator to scan only the necessary regions at high resolution rather than the entire specimen, significantly reducing scanning time while maintaining image quality for the areas of interest.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different scanning resolutions to different regions of the specimen based on their importance. Areas of interest receive high-resolution scanning while less important regions are scanned at lower resolution or skipped entirely. This local quality approach maintains measurement precision where needed while improving overall scanning productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.