Connected systems for automated tissue section preparation and methods of use thereof

A system comprising:

• one or more tissue processing components configured to produce one or more tissue sections from a tissue block and to transfer the one or more tissue sections from the tissue block to one or more slides;
• and
• at least one control device connected to a network, wherein the at least one control device is configured to:
• log tissue processing component operational data in an operational data log, wherein the tissue processing component operational data represents indicators of an operational state of the one or more tissue processing components;
• generate workflow progress data for at least one block processing workflow defining control of the one or more tissue processing components for processing at least one block of at least one tissue sample based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determine tissue processing component performance based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determine a tissue processing component operational state based at least in part on at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data, or
• the tissue processing component performance;
• determine tissue processing component predictive maintenance data indicative of at least one tissue processing component predictive maintenance need based on the tissue processing component operational state;
• and
• communicate a device report to a remote computing system so as to enable the remote computing system to optimize performance of the at least one of the tissue processing components;
• wherein the device report comprises at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data,
• the tissue processing component performance,
• the tissue processing component operational state, or
• the tissue processing component predictive maintenance data.

A method comprising:

• querying, by at least one control device associated with a tissue processing system, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) with a sample identifier associated with a tissue sample block and receive tissue sample data from the LIMS;
• wherein the tissue processing system is configured to:
• use a one or more tissue processing components to produce one or more tissue sections from a tissue block and to transfer the one or more tissue sections from the tissue block to one or more slides;
• generating, by the at least one control device, tissue processing workflow parameters based on the tissue sample data received from the LIMS;
• wherein the tissue processing workflow parameters define an operational configuration for the one or more tissue processing components to perform an automated tissue processing workflow;
• automatically controlling, by the at least one control device, the one or more tissue processing components according to the tissue processing workflow parameters to process the tissue sample block;
• generating, by the at least one control device, at least one block processing update message while the tissue sample block is processed, wherein the at least one block processing update message comprises at least one of:
• at least one block processing status update,
• at least one report,
• at least one tissue image or
• at least one confirmation;
• and
• communicating, by the at least one control device, the at least one block processing update message to the LIMS so as to enable the LIMS to track the automated tissue processing workflow associated with the tissue sample block.

A method comprising:

• logging, by at least one control device associated with a tissue processing system comprising a one or more tissue processing components to produce one or more tissue sections from a tissue block and to transfer the one or more tissue sections from the tissue block to one or more slides, tissue processing component operational data and an operational data log, wherein the tissue processing component operational data represents indicators of an operational state of a one or more tissue processing components of a one or more tissue processing components associated with the at least one control device;
• wherein the at least one control device is connected to a network;
• generating, by the at least one control device, workflow progress data for at least one block processing workflow defining control of the one or more tissue processing components of the one or more tissue processing components for processing at least one block of at least one tissue sample based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determining, by the at least one control device, a tissue processing component performance based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determining, by the at least one control device, a tissue processing operational state based at least in part on at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data, or
• the tissue processing component performance;
• determining, by the at least one control device, tissue processing component predictive maintenance data indicative of at least one tissue processing component predictive maintenance need based on the tissue processing operational state;
• and
• communicating, by the at least one control device, a device report to a remote computing system so as to enable the remote computing system to optimize performance of one or more of the tissue processing components;
• wherein the device report comprises at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data,
• the tissue processing component performance,
• the tissue processing operational state, or
• the tissue processing component predictive maintenance data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions configured to cause at least one control device to perform steps for automated control of one or more tissue processing components, the steps comprising:

• querying a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) with a sample identifier associated with a tissue sample block and receive tissue sample data from the LIMS;
• wherein the one or more tissue processing components is configured to produce one or more tissue sections from a tissue block, and to transfer the one or more tissue sections from the tissue block to one or more slides;
• generating tissue processing workflow parameters based on the tissue sample data received from the LIMS;
• wherein the tissue processing workflow parameters define an operational configuration for the one or more tissue processing components to perform an automated tissue processing workflow;
• automatically controlling the one or more tissue processing components according to the tissue processing workflow parameters to process the tissue sample block;
• generating at least one block processing update message while the tissue sample block is processed, wherein the at least one block processing update message comprises at least one of:
• at least one block processing status update,
• at least one report,
• at least one tissue image or
• at least one confirmation;
• and
• communicating the at least one block processing update message to the LIMS so as to enable the LIMS to track the automated tissue processing workflow associated with the tissue sample block.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions configured to cause at least one control device to perform steps for automated control of a tissue processing system, the steps comprising:

• logging tissue processing component operational data and an operational data log, wherein the tissue processing component operational data represents indicators of an operational state of a one or more tissue processing components of a one or more tissue processing components associated with the at least one control device;
• wherein the tissue processing system is configured to produce one or more tissue sections from a tissue block, and to transfer the one or more tissue sections from the tissue block to one or more slides;
• generating workflow progress data for at least one block processing workflow defining control of the one or more tissue processing components of the one or more tissue processing components for processing at least one block of at least one tissue sample based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determining tissue processing component performance based at least in part on the tissue processing component operational data;
• determine a tissue processing operational state based at least in part on at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data, or
• the tissue processing component performance;
• determining tissue processing component predictive maintenance data indicative of at least one tissue processing component predictive maintenance need based on the tissue processing operational state;
• and
• communicating a device report via a network to a remote computing system so as to enable the remote computing system to optimize performance of one or more of the tissue processing components;
• wherein the device report comprises at least one of:
• the tissue processing component operational data,
• the workflow progress data,
• the tissue processing component performance,
• the tissue processing operational state, or
• the tissue processing component predictive maintenance data.