Thermal management in the context of automated histological processing of biological specimens and associated technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282376-A1
Application number	US-201615179862-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	Dec 13, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and system capable of processing specimens carried by slides within an automated histological staining system. A slide carrier is moved toward and into a temperature-controlled internal environment of a stainer within the system. The slide carrier carries a first slide and a second slide, and the first and second slides can carry a first specimen and a second specimen, respectively. The first and second specimens are stained with at least one of a staining reagent and a counterstaining reagent while the first and second slides are within the internal environment and while an average temperature of the internal environment is greater than ambient temperature. The slide carrier can be moved out of the internal environment after staining one or both specimens.

First claim

1 . A method for processing specimens carried by slides within an automated histological staining system, the method comprising:
moving a slide carrier toward and into a temperature-controlled internal environment of a stainer within the system, the slide carrier carrying a first slide and a second slide, the first and second slides carrying a first specimen and a second specimen, respectively; staining the first and second specimens with at least one of a staining reagent and a counterstaining reagent while the first and second slides are within the internal environment and while an average temperature of the internal environment is greater than ambient temperature; and moving the slide carrier out of the internal environment after staining the first and second specimens.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment includes robotically moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment; and moving the slide carrier out of the internal environment includes robotically moving the slide carrier out of the internal environment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the stainer includes a stainer housing within a main housing of the system; and the method further comprises internally heating the stainer such that the average temperature of the internal environment is greater than an average environmental temperature within the main housing around an exterior of the stainer housing while staining the first and second specimens.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens while the first and second specimens are at least substantially in thermal equilibrium with the internal environment.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens while the average temperature of the internal environment is from 35° C. to 50° C.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens while the average temperature of the internal environment is from 37° C. to 43° C.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens while an average temperature of the first specimen is from 35° C. to 50° C., while an average temperature of the second specimen is from 35° C. to 50° C., and while an average difference between the average temperature of the first specimen and the average temperature of the second specimen is less than 3° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the average temperature of the internal environment above an ambient temperature during a standby period occurring while the internal environment is vacant immediately before moving the slide carrier into the internal environment.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens with at least one of a hematoxylin reagent and an eosin reagent.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically dispensing the at least one of the staining reagent and the counterstaining reagent so as to form a freestanding first puddle and a freestanding second puddle on the first and second slides, respectively, while the first and second slides are within the internal environment, wherein staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens while the first and second specimens are in contact with the first and second puddles, respectively.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes:
staining the first and second specimens with a hematoxylin reagent; and staining the first and second specimens with an eosin reagent.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
holding the slide carrier within the internal environment for a holding period during which no fluid is dispensed onto the first and second slides, the holding period occurring immediately before moving the slide carrier out of the internal environment; actively circulating gas within the internal environment before staining the first and second specimens and after moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment; and suspending active circulation of gas within the internal environment during the holding period.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens with a hematoxylin reagent; and the method further comprises: actively circulating gas within the internal environment before staining the first and second specimens with the hematoxylin reagent and after moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment; and suspending active circulation of gas within the internal environment while staining the first and second specimens with the hematoxylin reagent.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
staining the first and second specimens includes staining the first and second specimens with a hematoxylin reagent; and the method further comprises: circulating gas within the internal environment at a first average rate before staining the first and second specimens with the hematoxylin reagent and after moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment; and circulating gas within the internal environment at a second average rate while staining the first and second specimens with the hematoxylin reagent, the second average rate being less than the first average rate.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the first average rate is greater than 0.1 meters per second; and the second average rate is less than 0.1 meters per second.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
holding the slide carrier within the internal environment for a holding period during which no fluid is dispensed onto the first and second slides, the holding period occurring immediately before moving the slide carrier out of the internal environment; circulating gas within the internal environment at a first average rate before staining the first and second specimens and after moving the slide carrier toward and into the internal environment; and circulating gas within the internal environment at a second average rate during the holding period, the second average rate being less than the first average rate.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the first average rate is greater than 0.1 meters per second; and the second average rate is less than 0.1 meters per second.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein staining the first and second specimens includes:
staining the first and second specimens with the staining reagent; and staining the first and second specimens with the counterstaining reagent.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
controlling the average temperature of the internal environment while staining the first and second specimens with the staining reagent; and controlling the average temperature of the internal environment while staining the first and second specimens with the counterstaining reagent to be different than the average temperature of the internal environment while staining the first and second specimens with the staining reagent.

20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising conductively heating a thermal mass positioned above the first and second slides while the first and second slides a

Assignees

• Ventana Med Syst Inc

Inventors

• Keller Tim
• Mette Matthew
• Tse Christine
• Ward Glen
• Wilkinson Chad

Classifications

• G01N35/00029 Primary

  provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides (G01N35/028 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L2300/1844

  using fans · CPC title

• G01N1/2813

  Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2035/00138

  Slides · CPC title

• G01N2035/00039

  Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade · CPC title