Systems and methods for detecting abnormal cells
AssigneeDiamics, Inc.
InventorsWarren Maltzman, Peter Gombrich, Eugene Dimonte, Edward Eaton, Eric Larson
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Abstract
Systems and methods of interrogating clusters of cells for two or more biological markers that do not, or rarely, occur in the same cell during normal cellular growth, development and function, to indicate the existence of cells that are part of a local area where a pre-neoplastic or neoplastic lesion may be present. The relationship among cells is maintained while interrogating the clusters of cells to facilitate the examination and determination of the existence of possible dysplasia.
Claims25
A system for detecting abnormal tissue in a cervix comprising:
- a collector for collecting spatially arranged clusters of cells from an ectocervical region and an endocervical region of a cervix, the collector maintaining the spatial integrity of the clusters of cells collected on the collector;
- a receiving structure for receiving clusters of cells transferred from the collector, wherein the receiving structure and the collector are configured to maintain the spatial integrity of the clusters of cells transferred to the receiving structure;
- an assay for preparing the clusters of cells transferred to the receiving structure for examination;
- and
- a scanner device for detecting the clusters of cells prepared by the assay, so as to detect whether there may be an imbalance of two or more cell expression properties exhibited in a state of dysplasia.
A system for detecting abnormal tissue comprising:
- a collector for collecting clusters of cells from a local area of tissue where a potential imbalance of two or more cell expression properties may be exhibited in a state of dysplasia;
- a receiving structure for receiving clusters of cells transferred from the collector;
- an assay for preparing the clusters of cells transferred to the receiving structure for examination;
- and
- a scanner device for detecting the clusters of cells prepared by the assay, so as to detect whether there may be an imbalance of two or more cell expression properties exhibited in a state of dysplasia.
A method for detecting abnormal tissue in a cervix, the method comprising:
- (a) collecting clusters of cells from an ectocervical region and an endocervical region of the cervix using a collector, while maintaining the spatial integrity of the clusters of cells collected on the collector;
- (b) transferring at least some of the clusters of cells collected by the collector to a receiving structure, while maintaining the spatial integrity of the clusters of cells transferred to the receiving structure;
- (c) applying a cytological detection cocktail to the clusters of cells transferred to the receiving structure;
- and
- (d) analyzing the clusters of cells for an imbalance of two or more cell expression properties.
A method for detecting abnormal tissue, the method comprising:
- (a) collecting a cell sample with a collector, the cell sample including cell clusters from a local area of a tissue where a potential imbalance of two or more cell expression properties may be exhibited in a state of dysplasia;
- (b) transferring at least some of the collected cell clusters to a receiving structure;
- (c) applying a cytological detection cocktail to the cell clusters transferred to the receiving structure;
- and
- (d) analyzing the transferred cell clusters for an imbalance of two or more cell expression properties.
A method of screening cell clusters to indicate the existence of cells that are part of a local area where a pre-neoplastic or neoplastic lesion may be present, comprising:
- interrogating the cell clusters for two or more biological markers that do not normally occur in the same cell during normal cellular growth, development and function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.