Systems and methods for automated grossing of tissue samples

An automated tissue grossing system comprising:

• a computer;
• an intake system, comprising a retrieval point;
• and
• a robotic arm movably coupled to a linear track positioned on a horizontal surface of the tissue grossing system and adjacent to the retrieval point, wherein the robotic arm comprises a gripper sized to grip a specimen jar positioned at the retrieval point, wherein the specimen jar contains a tissue sample in a fluid;
• a decapping module comprising a stationary gripper sized to grip a body portion of the specimen jar and a rotary gripper sized to grip a lid portion of the specimen jar;
• and
• an integrated grossing platform positioned on the horizontal surface of the tissue grossing system, wherein the integrated grossing platform comprises:
• a cassette retention feature recessed within the integrated grossing platform and sized to fit a perforated tissue cassette, wherein the cassette retention feature provides an opening continuous through the integrated grossing platform and a lower portion of the horizontal surface of the tissue grossing system;
• a vacuum system positioned under the cassette retention feature and coupled to the lower portion of the horizontal surface of the tissue grossing system, wherein the computer executes instructions causing the vacuum system to generate a negative pressure environment under the cassette retention feature and activate concurrently with the robotic arm a controlled multi-axis pouring motion to synchronize a vacuum flow with a pour rate of the tissue sample and the fluid from the specimen jar to the perforated tissue cassette;
• and
• a backlight module comprising a light source integrated into the horizontal surface of the tissue grossing system, such that the light source illuminates an interior of the specimen jar from a bottom portion of the specimen jar.