Automated analysis of images using bright field microscopy

An automated image processing system, comprising:

• an optical microscope having a sensor sensitive to optical illumination, said sensor having an output terminal configured to provide as output a signal representative of a field of view monitored by said sensor, said optical microscope configured to allow operation of said optical microscope in bright field mode with optical illumination and configured to allow said optical microscope to change focus along a direction normal to an optically transparent supporting surface situated for observation in said optical microscope so as deliberately to attain at least one image along said direction normal to said optically transparent supporting surface of a sample situated within said field of view of said optical microscope;
• a computer-based image processor configured to receive said output signal representative of a field of view monitored by said sensor from said sensor, said image processor configured to identify one or more images out of said at least one image, said image processor configured to analyze said at least one image to deduce a property of said sample from said one or more images;
• and
• a reporting apparatus in communication with said computer-based image processor, said reporting apparatus configured to provide a report of said property of said sample.

A method of automatically identifying a feature of a cell present in a sample, comprising the steps of:

• providing an optically transparent supporting surface, said optically transparent supporting surface situated for observation in an optical microscope having a sensor sensitive to optical illumination, said sensor having an output terminal configured to provide as output a signal representative of a field of view monitored by said sensor;
• providing a sample comprising at least one cell situated on said optically transparent supporting surface;
• deliberately operating said optical microscope in bright field mode with optical illumination so as to focus at one or more different focal planes situated along a direction normal to said optically transparent supporting surface to form a bright field z-stack of images along a z-dimension, so that said at least one cell is within said field of view of said sensor;
• observing with said sensor a plurality of images selected from said bright field z-stack;
• providing from said output terminal of said sensor an output signal representative of said plurality of images;
• processing for at least two of said plurality of images said output signal representative of said plurality of images to obtain intensity values of pixels within an x,y plane;
• measuring a variation with respect to said z-dimension of said intensity values within said x,y plane between a first image and a second image of said at least two of said plurality of images;
• constructing a two-dimensional projection image of increased contrast;
• deducing from said two-dimensional projection image of increased contrast a feature of said at least one cell;
• and
• reporting said feature of said at least one cell present in said sample.