Examination system, examination device, and examination method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018195105-A1
Application number	US-201515738234-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 24, 2015
Publication date	Jul 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention optically obtains characteristic values of a plurality of biological samples from a specimen; compares the characteristic values with examination information associated with the same specimen obtained in advance; and calculates an indicator to determine, based on a result of the comparison, whether a process is continued to genetic analysis of the biological samples or a re-preparation of samples from the same specimen is performed. By this method, it is possible to achieve more reliable biomarker detection by ensuring validity through appropriate selection of test samples while reducing cost, effort, and time for analysis in single cell analysis or analysis of a group of a small number of cells.

First claim

1 . An examination system comprising:
a database for storing examination information associated with a specimen obtained in advance a microscope observation unit for optically obtaining characteristic values of a plurality of biological samples derived from the specimen; and an examination device for comparing the characteristic values and the examination information and presenting, based on a result of the comparison, an indicator for determining whether a process is continued to genetic analysis of the biological samples or a re-preparation of samples from the specimen is performed.

2 . The examination system according to claim 1 , wherein pathological judgment information associated with the specimen is stored in the database as the examination information.

3 . The examination system according to claim 2 , wherein the pathological judgment information stored in the database as the examination information is at least one of a number of cancer cells, a percentage of cancer cells, and a staging of cancer, related to the specimen.

4 . The examination system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one test method information selected from a sample immobilization method, a sample storage temperature, and an test sample size, associated with the specimen is stored in the database as the examination information.

5 . The examination system according to claim 1 , wherein the process to the genetic analysis of the biological samples determined by the examination device comprises a step of cell separation and a step of creating an individual DNA library.

6 . The examination system according to claim 5 , wherein, when the cell separation is performed, an indicator to determine, for separated individual cells, which one of the creation of the individual DNA library and the re-preparation of the individual cells is performed is presented by the examination device based on comparison with the information stored in the database.

7 . The examination system according to claim 6 , wherein a number of collected cells, a percentage of separated cells, and a percentage of target cells is stored in the database as evaluation information for the individual cells.

8 . The examination system according to claim 5 , wherein, when the individual DNA library is created, an indicator to determine, for the created individual DNA library, which one of the genetic analysis and the re-preparation of a specimen sample is performed is presented by the examination device based on comparison with the information stored in the database.

9 . The examination system according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of an amount of DNA, a level of DNA, and a length of a DNA fragment is stored in the database as evaluation information for the individual DNA library.

10 . An examination device comprising:
a processing operation unit for comparing characteristic values of a plurality of biological samples optically obtained from a specimen with examination information associated with the specimen obtained in advance and calculating, based on a result of the comparison, an indicator to determine whether a process is continued to genetic analysis of the biological samples or a re-preparation of samples from the specimen is performed; and a display unit for presenting the indicator to a user.

11 . An examination method comprising:
optically obtaining characteristic values of a plurality of biological samples from a specimen; comparing the characteristic values with examination information associated with the specimen obtained in advance; and determining, based on a result of the comparison, whether a process is continued to genetic analysis of the biological samples or a re-preparation of samples from the specimen is performed.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Yokoi Takahide
• Shirai Masataka

Classifications

• G01N35/00603

  Reinspection of samples · CPC title

• C12M1/34

  Measuring or testing with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters · CPC title

• G01N1/31

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• G01N2035/0094

  optimisation; experiment design · CPC title

• C12Q1/02 Primary

  involving viable microorganisms · CPC title