Method and system for identifying potential contaminants in test plates

A method for controlling quality by identifying potential contamination at test plates, the method comprising:

• applying samples of genetic material to a test plate comprising an array of wells;
• performing Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify the genetic material at the array of wells for reaction with a reagent at the wells, wherein the reagent selectively reacts with portions of the genetic material that correspond with a disease state;
• determining, at an analysis device, a numerical value for each well of the wells based on a change in a visual appearance caused by the amplification of the genetic material at the well, wherein the numerical value indicates whether a corresponding sample at the well is representative of the disease state;
• receiving, at a quality assurance server, numerical values for the wells and location information indicating a location of each of the wells on the test plate;
• identifying, at the quality assurance server, a pattern of the numerical values based on the location information, wherein the pattern comprises an arrangement of the numerical values of the array of wells at the test plate;
• determining, at the quality assurance server, a statistical likelihood of the pattern of the numerical values assuming a random distribution of the numerical values;
• and
• when the statistical likelihood is less than a threshold value,
• determining, at the quality assurance server, that the arrangement of the numerical values of the array of wells at the test plate is statistically improbable and indicative of a potential contamination of liquid spilling between adjacent ones of the wells;
• and
• flagging the test plate as potentially contaminated.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method for controlling quality by identifying potential contamination at test plates, the method comprising:

• applying samples of genetic material to a test plate comprising an array of wells;
• performing Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify the genetic material at the array of wells for reaction with a reagent at the wells, wherein the reagent selectively reacts with portions of the genetic material that correspond with a disease state;
• determining, at an analysis device, a numerical value for each well of the wells based on a change in a visual appearance caused by the amplification of the genetic material at the well, wherein the numerical value indicates whether a corresponding sample at the well is representative of the disease state;
• receiving, at a quality assurance server, numerical values for the wells and location information indicating a location of each of the wells on the test plate;
• identifying, at the quality assurance server, a pattern of the numerical values based on the location information, wherein the pattern comprises an arrangement of the numerical values of the array of wells at the test plate;
• determining, at the quality assurance server, a statistical likelihood of the pattern of the numerical values assuming a random distribution of the numerical values;
• and
• when the statistical likelihood is less than a threshold value,
• determining, at the quality assurance server, that the arrangement of the numerical values of the array of wells at the test plate is statistically improbable and indicative of a potential contamination of liquid spilling between adjacent ones of the wells;
• and
• flagging the test plate as potentially contaminated.