A stuck slide determination system is provided that determines if a slide (e.g., glass slide), positioned on a scanning stage at the start of the scanning process, gets stuck and does not move along with the scanning stage after the scanning process commences. In an embodiment, the system includes a sensor having a transmitter and receiver that are relatively positioned to detect the presence of the stage or a slide or the absence of the stage or a slide. When the scanning stage begins to move at the start of the scanning process, a processor monitors a signal from the sensor and determines if the slide is improperly positioned after the scanning process has commenced. If the slide is improperly positioned, the processor stops movement of the scanning stage in order to protect the slide from damage.

Described herein are methods for imaging a fluorescent bioassay (including a substrate, such as dispersed cellular sample, exposed to one or more exogenous fluorophore and/or fluorescent probe that accumulate in a structure of interest). The bioassay can be excited with Type-C ultraviolet (UVC) light produced by one or more light emitting diode (LED). The UVC can have a center wavelength that causes emission by the fluorescent bioassay. A digital optical device can collect a signal emitted from the fluorescent bioassay in response to the excitation. The methods relate in particular to Microscopy with Ultraviolet Surface Excitation (MUSE) imaging.

A slide rack determination system for a digital slide scanning apparatus. In an embodiment, a motor drives a slide rack at a known rate toward an engagement surface. The elapsed time until engagement may be used to detect the presence or absence of the slide rack and/or the height of the slide rack. In addition, one or more sensors may detect one or more features of the slide rack, and these feature(s) may be used to determine the presence or absence of a slide rack, whether usage of the slide rack is supported or unsupported by the digital slide scanning apparatus, the orientation of the slide rack, and/or the manufacturer and/or model of the slide rack.

Systems and methods for the positioning and imaging of sample slides are provided, such as in a microscope. A positioning system comprises a cassette. The sample is provided on the cassette. The cassette may be placed in and movable within a cut-out portion of a pusher component. The pusher component is disposed above a stage. When the cassette is placed in the cut-out portion of the pusher component, a bottom surface of the cassette interfaces with a top surface of the stage. An actuator coupled to the pusher component can cause movement of the pusher component and the cassette for imaging different portions of the sample. A processing unit can send one or more signals to control actuation provided to the actuator to move the pusher component.

This disclosure describes a slide comprising a substrate, a wireless communication element, and a sensing element, wherein the slide is capable of communicating with an external communications device via the wireless communication element. In some implementations, the wireless communication element comprises an antenna, an integrated circuit, and a memory unit, that are powered wirelessly by an external device, such that it is capable of measuring, logging, and communicating data. The data, such as time and temperature, may be collected via the sensing element connected to the wireless communication element.

A digital slide scanning apparatus that includes a scanning stage, a focusing sensor, an imaging sensor, and at least two processors. A main processor is configured to control the scanning stage to move a sample relative to the focusing sensor and the imaging sensor. The main processor controls the secondary processor to process focus buffers generated by the focusing sensor and image buffers generated by the imaging sensor. The secondary processor access each buffer and processes the data in the buffer to generate an average contrast vector for the buffer. The average contrast vectors for the focus and image buffers are then provided to the main processor for further processing in connection with autofocus and/or generation of a digital slide image.

A digital slide scanning apparatus that includes a scanning stage, a focusing sensor, an imaging sensor, and at least two processors. A main processor is configured to control the scanning stage to move a sample relative to the focusing sensor and the imaging sensor. The main processor controls the secondary processor to process focus buffers generated by the focusing sensor and image buffers generated by the imaging sensor. The secondary processor access each buffer and processes the data in the buffer to generate an average contrast vector for the buffer. The average contrast vectors for the focus and image buffers are then provided to the main processor for further processing in connection with autofocus and/or generation of a digital slide image.

A system and method for acquiring images of objects distributed within a specimen affixed to a surface of a slide, the specimen having an uneven height relative to the slide surface using a camera having an objective lens with an optical axis that forms a non-orthogonal angle with the surface of the slide, the method including acquiring a first plurality of images of a first linear portion of the specimen; evaluating a focus of objects within the linear portion of the specimen captured in the first plurality of images; and acquiring a second plurality of images of the first linear portion or of a second linear portion of the specimen different from the first, wherein a height of the objective lens relative to the slide surface is varied during acquisition of the second plurality of images based on the evaluated focus of the objects captured in the first plurality of images.

An automated rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) system for smearing, staining and capturing a digital image of a biological sample such as a fine needle aspiration (FNA) sample is presented. The system comprises a housing with a user interface monitor or screen, a smearing system, a staining system, and an image capture system. The housing can further include a receiver for a biological sample that can direct the sample to a sample slide. The smearing system is configured to smear the sample on the sample slide. The staining system is configured to stain the sample. The image capture system is configured to capture a magnified image of the sample and store the digital image in the housing or remotely. The digital images may be available immediately for local or off-site review. The wait time between staining the sample and image capture can be less than 60 seconds.

An automated rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) system for smearing, staining and capturing a digital image of a biological sample such as a fine needle aspiration (FNA) sample is presented. The system comprises a housing with a user interface monitor or screen, a smearing system, a staining system, and an image capture system. The housing can further include a receiver for a biological sample that can direct the sample to a sample slide. The smearing system is configured to smear the sample on the sample slide. The staining system is configured to stain the sample. The image capture system is configured to capture a magnified image of the sample and store the digital image in the housing or remotely. The digital images may be available immediately for local or off-site review. The wait time between staining the sample and image capture can be less than 60 seconds.