Cassette assembly and processing method
AssigneeCellpath Ltd.
InventorsRichard Titcombe, Philip Webber, Paul Webber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A histology processing assembly comprising a frame with an area for application of a unique identifier for a biological sample and a recess for irreversibly receiving a sample carrier which has a compartment for holding the sample which is transmissible to processing fluids. A method is provided in which the sample is placed in the carrier with identifying information at a first location and transported to a second location and loaded into a carrier, marked with the identifying information. The carrier may be used to hold the sample in a pre-determined orientation for processing.
Claims18
A histology processing assembly comprising:
- i) a cassette frame comprising a recess for irreversibly receiving a sample carrier;
- and
- ii) the sample carrier comprising a rigid frame and an apertured bottom face and an apertured top face which together define a sample compartment for holding a biological sample and which carrier is transmissible to processing fluids and/or radiation, the rigid frame of the sample carrier and the cassette frame comprising complementary engaging means for irreversible engagement of the closed sample carrier with the said cassette frame.
A method of handling a biological sample preparatory to a histology processing procedure comprising:
- i) placing a biological sample in a sample carrier comprising a compartment for holding a biological sample at a first location;
- ii) placing the sample carrier in a receptacle and recording data comprising a unique identifier associated with the sample on the receptacle;
- iii) transporting the receptacle to a second location;
- and iii)
- iv) removing the sample carrier from the receptacle and irreversibly locating the sample carrier containing the biological sample in a cassette frame to provide a histology processing assembly comprising the cassette frame and the sample carrier which contains the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.