JPS5974525A - Automatic cell diagnosing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain an automatic cell diagnosing device having high examination efficiency, by constituting the device so that a low-power image magnifying means is switched to a high-power image magnifying means to scan a retrieved visual field position after a sample-applied face is scanned by the low-power image magnifying means to retrieve the magnified visual field position. CONSTITUTION:A lens unit 10 is operated by a lens switching circuit 9 to place a low-power lens 11 on the optical axis connecting a condenser lens 3 and a photoelectric converter 15. A stage 6 is moved by a stage driving part 7 to scan successively a face, where a cell sample is applied, of a preparation 5. A video signal is inputted from a TV camera 15 to visual field selecting circuits 18-21 for every magnified visual field, and data of the cell density is inputted to an operation control circuit 22 and is stored for each of 4 divided visual fields. The low-power lens 11 is switched to a high-power lens 12 to scan skippingly the face where the cell sample is applied, and a prescribed diagnosis is performed in the operation processing part 22. Consequently, the examination efficiency is made high.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automatic cell diagnostic devices that detect and diagnose all cells from a sample coated on a slide glass.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Conventionally, automatic cytodiagnosis fft uses a glass slide coated with a sample obtained by dispersing cell clusters into individual cells as a test object. The reason for this is that if a sample is applied to a preparation glass without performing the above-mentioned dispersion treatment, the variation in cell density on the Brevart glass will increase, making it unsuitable for automated testing. In this case, since the distributed processing requires a long time, the automatic cell diagnostic apparatus cannot quickly test and process a large number of test items as a system.

Therefore, in order to realize rapid testing and processing, there is a need for the development of an automatic cell diagnostic device that can test a glass slide or glass directly coated with a sample as a testing object without performing the above-mentioned dispersion processing. . However, when developing such an automatic cell diagnostic device, it is difficult to scan a slide glass with a field magnifying device without distinguishing between areas where cells are clustered and areas where cells are uniformly dispersed.
There is a problem that the inspection efficiency is extremely low, and this problem must be solved by all means.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an automatic cell diagnostic device that has extremely good testing efficiency even though it uses a preparation '6 test object in which a sample is applied directly to a slide glass. The purpose is to

[Summary of the invention]

The outline of the present invention for achieving the above object is to include a plurality of one-image enlarging means that have different magnifications and enlarge the image while scanning the sample application surface on the slide; After searching for an enlarged field of view position having a light amount within a predetermined range by scanning the sample coated surface with an enlarged field of view using a low-magnification image enlargement means, The present invention is characterized in that the searched position of the magnified field of view is scanned using the magnified field of view of the high-magnification image magnifying means selected by the magnification changing means.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is the light source, 2 is the field diaphragm, 6 is the condenser lens, and 4 is the irradiation field diaphragm. The light intensity is adjusted by the field diaphragm 2, and then it is focused by the condenser lens 6. The beam spot set in step 114 is placed on the stage 6.
It is arranged so as to irradiate the upper cell sample application surface.

The stage 6 is movable in the x and y directions in a horizontal plane by a stage drive section 7 that is controlled by the arithmetic control section 22 . Therefore, when the stage 6 is moved horizontally regularly, the cell sample application surface on the preparation 5 is irradiated while scanning with the beam spot formed by the irradiation field aperture 4.

The beam spot that has completely passed through the cell sample application surface on the preparation 5 forms an image on a photoelectric conversion device 15 such as a television camera via a lens unit 10'lr.

The lens unit 10 includes a low magnification lens 1 with a small magnification.
1, a lens driving section 13 that drives the low-magnification lens 11 along the optical axis, a high-magnification lens 12 having a larger magnification than the low-magnification lens 11, and the high-magnification lens 12.
and a lens driving section 14 that drives the lens along the optical axis, and the optical axis connecting the low magnification lens 11 and the high magnification lens 12t-% to the condenser lens 6 and the photoelectric conversion device 15 under the control of the lens switching circuit 9. It is configured so that it can be switched and placed on the top. The lens drive units 13, 14 are controlled by a known autofocus circuit 8 based on the principle of sum of differences, for example.

As shown above, the light source 1, the field diaphragm 2, the condenser lens 6, the irradiation field diaphragm 4, the low magnification lens 12 driven by the lens drive unit 16 for focusing, and the photoelectric conversion device 15 are used to achieve low magnification. (a) An image magnifying means capable of magnifying the surface to which the 111-cell sample is applied is constructed; it is also driven by a light source 1, a field diaphragm v2, a condenser lens 6, an irradiation field diaphragm v4, and a lens drive unit 14 for focusing. The high magnification lens 12 and the photoelectric conversion device 15) constitute an image magnifying means that can magnify the cell sample coated surface at high magnification.

In addition, in the two types of image magnification means of low magnification and high magnification, the light source 1, field diaphragm v2, condenser lens 7 lens 61 irradiation field diaphragm 4, and photoelectric conversion device #15 are common fixed members. However, when the magnifications for low and high magnifications are significantly different, prepare field diaphragm condenser lenses and irradiation field diaphragms for low magnification and high magnification, and change them or change them depending on the magnification. It may be possible. Further, the lens unit 10 and the lens switching circuit 9KJ are configured to include magnification rate changing means.

The output of the photoelectric conversion device 15 is digitized by a ω converter (not shown) and input to the image processing section 23 and visual field selection circuits 18, 19, 20, and 21.

The image processing unit 23 has first, second and third counters, as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 74625 of 1972, and the first counter calculates two per cell image within the enlarged field of view. The cell is configured to output 10 injection stages in the direction, the second counter outputs the glogejection data in the direction, and the sixth counter outputs the 9 degree histogram ff: of the cell.

The visual field selection circuits 1B, i9, 20.21 detect the cell density within the expanded visual field, and magnify the output signal of the photoelectric conversion device 15, for example, as described in Utility Model Application No. 103119 of 1973. It is constructed with an integrator that integrates each field of view divided into four, or is constructed based on a known sum of differences.

16 is FJ, YT, electric converter system T1 part,
At the same time as controlling the photoelectric conversion device 15, the selector 17 controls the start, stop, reset, etc. of the operation of the visual field selection circuits 18-21. Turn on the input and set b=
1, the visual field sorting circuit 19 has a circuit configuration such that the visual field sorting circuit 19 is manually operated.

Reference numeral 22 indicates an arithmetic control section, which includes a stage drive section 7,
In addition to controlling the automatic focus circuit 8 and the lens switching circuit 9, the output of the field selection ports w518 to 21 is checked for each expanded field of view, and if the cell density is within the upper and lower limits, the coordinates are stored, and the image processing unit Based on the output of 26, for example, the cell area and the total contact area are determined and the cell is inspected.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

FIGS. 2(α) and (b) show the magnified field of view, that is, the inspection area, at low and high magnifications on the surface of the preparation 5 on which the cell sample is applied. The numbers in the figure are the order of movement of the magnified field of view, magnified field of view 1, 2° #+1, #+2
, 2#+1, 2#+2 indicate undiagnosable cell clusters, magnified field of view 1°3, MXA
'-1 is an expanded field of view where the cell density is within the set range,
Other enlarged fields of view indicate the absence of cells. First, the lens unit 1 is controlled by the lens switching circuit 9.
0 to position the low magnification lens 11f: on the optical axis connecting the condenser lens 6 and the photoelectric conversion device 15. Next, by moving the stage 6 using the stage drive unit 7, the glass preparations 5 are sequentially moved as shown in FIG. 2 (α).

Expanded field of view 1, 2. . . . The cell sample applied surface is scanned in the order of M×N. For each magnified field of view scanned, the original [
Conversion device 15 For example, from a television camera to a visual field selection circuit 1
Video signals are output from 8 to 21, visual field selection circuit 18 to
21, as shown in the third prisoner, the calculation control unit 2 calculates cell density data for each field of view (A), (B), (C), and (2) that is obtained by dividing one enlarged field of view into four.
Output to 2. Here, magnified field of view f: When expressed in two-dimensional coordinates, the current magnified field of view coordinates at low magnification are (t,]
) (where 1≦t≦N, 1≦5M), the third
The coordinates of the enlarged field of view at high magnification shown in the figure are as follows: n<2i-1,2no-1), (2?:,2)
-1) -(2t-192j) t (2t *2))
becomes. Therefore, in the low magnification examination, the arithmetic control unit 22 which inputs the cell density data outputted from the visual field selection circuits 18 to 21 determines whether the cell density is within the set range, and determines whether the cell density is within the set range. Memorize the coordinates of the field of view within. In this way, by moving the enlarged field of view at low magnification, the 1 calculation control unit 22 successively stores the coordinates of the field of view in which the cell density is within the set range. In the case of Figure 2 (α),
By low magnification inspection, (1
,1), (2゜1), (5,1), (6,1), (1,
2), (5,2), (6,2), (2#-3,2'M-
1), (2#-2,2&-1), (2N-ro, 2M),
(2N-2.

2M) are stored.

Next, after the low-magnification inspection is completed, the low-magnification lens 11 and the high-magnification lens 12 are replaced, and the high-magnification lens 12 is positioned on the optical axis connecting the condenser lens 6 and the photoelectric conversion device 15. Then, by moving the stage 6 using the stage drive unit 7, the preparation 5 is moved. in this case,
The stage 6 moves so that the highly magnified field of view scans the cell sample application surface intermittently in accordance with the order of the 11 coordinates. A photoelectric conversion device 15 that receives light through a high-magnification lens 12
The video signal is sent to the image processing section 826.The image processing section 23 detects and processes cells, and the arithmetic processing section 22 performs a predetermined diagnosis based on the output of the image processing section 23.

With the above configuration, the high magnification is twice the low magnification and 1″
! In addition, when the inspection field of view at high magnification is 60 x 30, the inspection time in the above embodiment is approximately 1/4 [((1800/4) + 1
It can be shortened to 1)÷1800). Generally, in most direct smear preparations, more than half of the total number of fields have cell densities outside the set range, so in practice, the total examination time can be shortened to less than 374μ.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the gist of the invention. Needless to say.

In the above embodiment, the magnification of the high magnification lens was twice the magnification of the low magnification lens for the two systems of image enlarging means;
It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to this. Further, the image enlarging means may include six or more systems.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, it is possible to provide an automatic cell diagnostic device that can perform a test using a preparation prepared by directly applying a sample, which can significantly improve the test efficiency by shortening the test time. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 2 (a) and 2 (h) are enlarged fields of view (inspection area) at low and high magnifications on the cell sample application surface on the slide.
and FIG. 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the division of the magnified field of view in low magnification examination. 1... Light minute, 2... Field diaphragm, 6... Condenser lens, 4... Irradiation field diaphragm, 5...
6... Stage, 7... Stage drive unit, 8... Automatic focus circuit, 9...
lens switching circuit, 10...lens unit,
11...Low magnification lens, 12...High magnification lens,
13.14... Lens drive section, 15... Photoelectric conversion device % 16... Photoelectric conversion device control section, 17...
Selector, 18-21... Visual field selection circuit, 22.
...Arithmetic control unit, 26...Image processing unit. Agent: Patent Attorney Noriyuki Chika (1 person) Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] a plurality of image enlarging means that have different magnification factors and magnify the sample-coated surface on the preparation while scanning; and an enlarging magnification for selecting one of the plurality of image enlarging means; - one of the image enlarging means; By scanning the sample coated surface with an enlarged field of view using the low magnification image enlarging means, a position of an enlarged field of view having a light amount within a predetermined range is searched, and then the enlarged magnification changing means selects a selected height. An automatic cell diagnosis apparatus characterized in that the searched position of the enlarged field of view is scanned using an enlarged field of view by a magnifying means of a culture rate.