Cell imaging apparatus and cell imaging method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291306-A1
Application number	US-201615078051-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cell imaging apparatus captures images of cells contained in a liquid specimen comprising: an image capture unit including an objective lens, specimen cells each including an inner space which is capable of holding a liquid specimen and which is elongated in one direction, the specimen cells arranged such that the inner spaces are aligned in a row in a longitudinal direction of the inner spaces, a drive unit that moves at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens; and a controller that controls the drive unit to move at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens in the longitudinal direction and controls the image capture unit to capture images of cells contained in a liquid specimen held in the inner space of each of the specimen cells at multiple image capture positions.

First claim

1 . A cell imaging apparatus that captures images of cells contained in a liquid specimen, comprising:
an image capture unit including an objective lens; specimen cells each including an inner space which is capable of holding a liquid specimen and which is elongated in one direction, the specimen cells arranged such that the inner spaces are aligned in a row in a longitudinal direction of the inner spaces; a drive unit that moves at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens; and a controller that controls the drive unit to move at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens in the longitudinal direction and controls the image capture unit to capture images of cells contained in a liquid specimen held in the inner space of each of the specimen cells at multiple image capture positions.

2 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the specimen cells are arranged such that the longitudinal direction intersects with a vertical direction.

3 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a stage to which the specimen cells are attached, wherein
the drive unit moves the specimen cells by moving the stage.

4 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the specimen cells are aligned on the stage in one horizontal direction.

5 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the objective lens is arranged with an optical axis direction of the objective lens intersecting with the longitudinal direction, the drive unit moves the objective lens in the optical axis direction and moves the stage in an inclined direction inclined from the longitudinal direction to the optical axis direction, and the controller adjusts a focus of the objective lens at each of the image capture positions by controlling the drive unit to move the stage in the inclined direction and simultaneously move the objective lens in the optical axis direction according to a moving amount of the stage.

6 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the drive unit includes a restriction unit that restricts a moving direction of the stage to the inclined direction.

7 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the controller adjusts the focus of the objective lens at each of the image capture positions by controlling the drive unit to move the stage to one side of the inclined direction and simultaneously move the objective lens to one side of the optical axis direction.

8 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the specimen cells are aligned on the stage in an inclined direction inclined from one horizontal direction to a vertical direction, the objective lens is arranged with an optical axis direction of the objective lens being equal to the vertical direction, the drive unit moves the objective lens in the optical axis direction and move the stage in the one horizontal direction, the controller adjusts a focus of the objective lens at each of the image capture positions by controlling the drive unit to move the stage in the one horizontal direction and to move the objective lens in the optical axis direction according to a moving amount of the stage.

9 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the specimen cells include a first specimen cell and a second specimen cell, and in capturing images of cells contained in a liquid specimen held in the inner space of the first specimen cell, the controller controls the drive unit to move at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens at a first speed, and in switching a specimen cell subjected to the image capture from the first specimen cell to the second specimen cell, the controller controls the drive unit to move at least one of: a) one or more specimen cells; and b) the objective lens at a second speed which is higher than the first speed.

10 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the specimen cells include a first specimen cell and a second specimen cell, and the controller executes at least one of: introducing a second liquid specimen into the inner space of the second specimen cell; settling cells contained in the second liquid specimen held in the inner space of the second specimen cell after the introduction of the second liquid specimen; and cleaning the inner space of the second specimen cell, during execution of image capture of cells contained in a first liquid specimen held in the inner space of the first specimen cell.

11 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an aspiration unit that aspirates a liquid specimen, wherein
the specimen cells include a first specimen cell and a second specimen cell, and the controller controls the aspiration unit to aspirate a second liquid specimen to be introduced into the inner space of the second specimen cell during a period in which cells in a first liquid specimen aspirated by the aspiration unit and introduced in the inner space of the first specimen cell are allowed to settle.

12 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the controller controls the drive unit and the image capture unit to execute image capture of cells contained in the first liquid specimen held in the inner space of the first specimen cell, during a period in which the cells in the second liquid specimen held in the inner space of the second specimen cell are allowed to settle.

13 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the specimen cells includes a reference mark used to adjust a focus of the objective lens, and the reference marks are aligned in the longitudinal direction.

14 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the specimen cells is shaped like a flat cuboid extending in the longitudinal direction.

15 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an aspiration unit that aspirates a liquid specimen; and a specimen introduction unit that introduces a liquid specimen aspirated by the aspiration unit into one of the specimen cells, wherein the specimen cells include a first specimen cell and a second specimen cell, and in a first mode, the controller controls the specimen introduction unit to introduce a liquid specimen obtained from a first subject and aspirated by the aspiration unit into the first specimen cell and introduce a liquid specimen obtained from a second subject different from the first subject and aspirated by the aspiration unit into the second specimen cell, whereas in a second mode, the controller controls the specimen introduction unit to introduce an aliquot of a liquid specimen obtained from a subject and aspirated by the aspiration unit into the first specimen cell and introduce another aliquot of the liquid specimen obtained from the subject and aspirated by the aspiration unit into the second specimen cell.

16 . The cell imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the liquid specimen is a urine specimen.

17 . A cell imaging method using a first specimen cell and a second specimen cell each including an inner space which is capable of holding a liquid specimen and is elongated in one direction, the first and the second specimen cells arranged such that the inner spaces are aligned in a row in a longitudinal direction of the inner spaces, the method comprising:
introducing a first liquid specimen containing cells into the inner space of the first specimen cell; introducing a second liquid sp

Assignees

• Sysmex Corp

Inventors

• Fukuda Masakazu
• Liu Yanyan
• Ootani Toshihiro

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/667

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/673

  based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/69 Primary

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title