A quality check module for characterizing a specimen and/or a specimen container. The quality check module includes an imaging location within the quality check module configured to receive a specimen container containing a specimen, one or more cameras located at one or more viewpoints adjacent to the imaging location, and one or more spectrally-switchable light source including a light panel assembly located adjacent the imaging location and configured to provide lighting for the one or more cameras, the spectrally-switchable light source configured to be operatively switchable between multiple different spectra. Methods of imaging a specimen and/or specimen container and specimen, and specimen testing apparatus including a quality check module adapted to carry out the method are described herein, as are other aspects.

A mass spectrometer includes: a measurement unit to perform mass spectrometry on each of a plurality of target samples and a plurality of quality control samples in a predetermined order; a sample information storage unit which stores discrimination information capable of discriminating between the target sample and the quality control sample in a series of measurements of the target samples and the quality control samples; and a display processor to separate a measurement result for the target sample and/or an analysis result derived from the measurement result, and a measurement result for the quality control sample and/or an analysis result derived from the measurement result to create display information in a predetermined format, and display the two pieces of display information on a screen of a display unit by using the discrimination information.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for facing a tissue block. In some embodiments, a method is provided for facing a tissue block that includes imaging a tissue block to generate imaging data of the tissue block, the tissue block comprising a tissue sample embedded in an embedding material, estimating, based on the imaging data, a depth profile of the tissue block, wherein the depth profile comprises a thickness of the embedding material to be removed to expose the tissue sample to a pre-determined criteria, and removing the thickness of the embedding material to expose the tissue to the pre-determined criteria.

A method of quality control of a specimen prepared from a sample according to an embodiment may include: setting, from a control index information (MII) in which a plurality of indexes for the specimen are respectively associated with control values corresponding to the plurality of indexes, at least one index to be used for quality control of the specimen; obtaining a feature value relating to the at least one index from image data of the specimen; and outputting quality control information of the specimen based on the feature value and a control value associated with the at least one index.

A sample analysis system is available that can include a remote sampling system, at least one analyzer, and a controller. The remote sampling system can include a plurality of sample sources for providing a corresponding sample therefrom; and a plurality of sample collection devices selectively coupled to any of the plurality of sample sources for receiving at least one of the samples therefrom. The at least one analyzer can be coupled to the plurality of the sample collection devices for receiving at least one of the samples therefrom. The controller can be coupled with the remote sampling system and the at least one analyzer, the controller configured to control which of the sample sources is actively coupled to a given sample collection device at a given time.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for facing a tissue block. In some embodiments, a method is provided for facing a tissue block that includes imaging a tissue block to generate imaging data of the tissue block, the tissue block comprising a tissue sample embedded in an embedding material, estimating, based on the imaging data, a depth profile of the tissue block, wherein the depth profile comprises a thickness of the embedding material to be removed to expose the tissue sample to a pre-determined criteria, and removing the thickness of the embedding material to expose the tissue to the pre-determined criteria.

Provided are a quality control method, a quality control system, a management apparatus, an analyzer, and a quality control abnormality determination method in which measurement results of both a quality control substance and a specimen are sufficiently utilized to improve the quality of quality control. The quality control method used in a management apparatus which is connected via a network to an analyzer installed in each of a plurality of facilities includes obtaining, from an analyzer in each facility via a network, first quality control information obtained by measuring an artificially generated quality control substance, and second quality control information obtained by measuring a plurality of specimens by the analyzer in each facility; and outputting information concerning quality control of an analyzer in at least one facility, based on the obtained first quality control information and second quality control information.

There is provided a specimen analyzer that can measure carry-over without degrading a specimen processing capability. A specimen analyzer according to the present invention measures a first sample including a first specimen and a first internal reference material, subsequently measures a second sample including a second specimen and a second internal reference material, and calculates an amount of the second specimen included in the second sample using an amount of the first internal reference material measured when the first sample has been measured and an amount of the second internal reference material measured when the second sample has been measured.

Automated test instruments electronically determine and/or obtain cell availability of cells of a holding structure in an incubated test chamber and for each of a plurality of open and available cells and electronically identify neighboring cells, electronically determining whether each of the identified neighboring cells are occupied or empty and, if occupied, electronically evaluating at least one of a test status or a time from load of a specimen container held therein. The instruments then electronically rank each of the plurality of open and available cells based at least in part on whether the identified neighboring cells are occupied or empty and the at least one of test status or time from load of the occupied cells of the identified neighboring cells. The loading mechanism is then directed to load an incoming specimen container into a selected one of the open and available cells based on the ranking.

Systems and methods include an optimization-based load planning module for laboratory analyzers of bio-fluid samples. The optimization-based load planning module is executable on a computer server and is configured to optimize assay (lab test) assignments across a large number of laboratory analyzers based on one or more of the following user selected and weighted objectives: reduced turn-around-time, load balancing, efficient reagent usage, lower quality assurance costs, and/or improved system robustness. The optimization-based load planning module outputs a load plan comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a system controller of a laboratory analyzer system to schedule and direct each requested test to be performed at one or more selected laboratory analyzers of the laboratory analyzer system in accordance with the user selected and weighted objectives. Other aspects are also described.