Processing system for processing specimens using acoustic energy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023184721-A1
Application number	US-202318107951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2023
Priority date	Mar 4, 2010
Publication date	Jun 15, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for fixing a biological sample includes delivering energy through a biological sample that has been removed from a subject, while fixing the biological sample. A change in speed of the energy traveling through the biological sample is evaluated to monitor the progress of the fixation. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. A computing device can evaluate the speed of the energy based on signals from the receiver.

First claim

1 . A method of processing a tissue sample comprising:
(i) immersing the tissue sample in a fixative solution having a first temperature ranging from 0° C. to 10° C. for a first time period sufficient to diffuse the fixative solution into an interior region of the tissue sample without substantially forming cross-links within the tissue sample; and (ii) continuing immersion of the tissue sample in the fixative solution for a second period of time sufficient to cause cross-linking within the tissue sample.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is about 2 hours.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is about 4° C.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the immersion is continued by submerging the tissue sample in a warm fixative bath.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the warm fixative bath has a temperature of about 45° C.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second time period is about 2 hours.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the immersion is continued by heating the fixative solution from the first temperature to the second temperature.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixative solution is 10% NBF.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is not exposed to ultrasonic irradiation during the immersion of the tissue sample at the first temperature.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second time period is about 2 hours.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second time period is about 4 hours.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second time period is about 6 hours.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein second temperature ranges from 22° C. to 50° C.

14 . The method of claim 1 , where the first time period is sufficient to diffuse the fixative solution throughout substantially all of the tissue sample.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the diffusion of the fixative solution through the tissue sample.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises evaluating a change in a time of flight of acoustic waves that travel through the tissue sample while it is immersed within the fixative solution at the first temperature.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the cross-linking of the tissue sample.

18 . A method comprising:
performing a first process on a plurality of biological samples; obtaining at least one sound speed characteristic for each biological sample of the plurality of biological samples; correlating the sound speed characteristics to the respective biological samples; and storing the correlated sound speed characteristics.

19 . A system for evaluating a biological sample, the system comprising:
a transmitter configured to output acoustic energy through a biological sample that has been taken from a subject; a receiver configured to detect the acoustic energy that has traveled through the biological sample after at least one acoustic characteristic of the biological sample has been altered; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the computing device configured to evaluate a speed of the acoustic energy traveling through the biological sample based on a time of flight of the acoustic energy.

Assignees

• Ventana Med Syst Inc

Inventors

• Chafin David
• Otter Michael
• Pierson Abbey
• Taft Jefferson Curtis

Classifications

• G01N2291/02475

  Tissue characterisation · CPC title

• G01N33/4833

  of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures (tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735) · CPC title

• G01N2291/02466

  Biological material, e.g. blood · CPC title

• G01N29/07 Primary

  by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/4427 Primary

  with stored values, e.g. threshold values · CPC title