Tissue cassette reader

An apparatus to identify an identifier on a tissue cassette in an assembly of a plurality of tissue cassettes comprising:

• a light source operable to illuminate a plurality of tissue cassettes in an assembly of a plurality of tissue cassettes, the assembly comprising sidewalls and a base that define a volume and an exposed top surface, the assembly capable of containing a plurality of tissue cassettes together in an upright position so that a front sidewall of each of the plurality of tissue cassettes faces outward from the top surface of the assembly;
• a base defining an assembly area operable to contain the assembly of a plurality of tissue cassettes;
• a sensor positioned above the base and over the assembly area, the sensor operable to automatically capture an identifier on a front sidewall of an individual tissue cassette by scanning and/or imaging the identifier or an image of the plurality of tissue cassettes in the assembly,
• wherein the sensor is moveable to allow a capture and read of an identifier by the sensor on a tissue cassette positioned at a first location in the assembly area by the sensor in a first location or a capture and read of an identifier on a tissue cassette positioned at a different second location in the assembly area by the sensor in a second location, and
• wherein the sensor is operable to capture reflected light from the light source of an image of the plurality of tissue cassettes, a converter to convert image data into an electronic signal;
• and
• a processor comprising non-transitory program instructions to:
• direct a rotational movement of the sensor about an axis;
• direct the sensor to scan a defined portion of the assembly area selected by a user and capture and read an identifier on a tissue cassette positioned anywhere in the defined portion of the assembly area and, where there are a plurality of tissue cassettes in the defined portion of the assembly area, to capture and read an identifier on each of the plurality of tissue cassettes while each of the plurality of tissue cassettes are contained together in the assembly;
• and
• provide an alert when an identifier is unable to be captured or read by the sensor.