System and method for calibrating an optical imaging system

A method for calibrating an optical imaging system, comprising:

• performing baseline testing of the optical imaging system using a specimen preparation chamber by collecting image sets for cells in an inner capillary that are within a capillary imaging zone of a specimen cartridge;
• generating a baseline abnormal score histogram from an abnormal classifier score using the cells imaged in the inner capillary within the capillary imaging zone;
• computing baseline variability of the abnormal classifier score by calculating a mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ) for all image sets of cells in the inner capillary that were collected;
• establishing a reference distribution by computing a mean (μrefdist) and a standard deviation (σrefdist) of the baseline abnormal score histogram;
• saving baseline testing information that includes the baseline abnormal score histogram, the mean (μrefdist), and the standard deviation (σrefdist);
• and
• performing calibration testing of the optical imaging system using a specimen preparation chamber by:
• calculating calibration testing information that includes a new abnormal score histogram, a new mean (μtestdist), and new standard deviation (σtestdist);
• comparing the calibration testing information to the baseline testing information;
• and
• determining if the optical imaging system passes calibration testing using the comparison of the calibration testing information to the baseline testing information.

A system for calibrating an optical imaging system, comprising:

• a specimen preparation chamber containing cells suspended in an optical media, the specimen preparation chamber including a first port at a first end of the specimen preparation chamber and a second port at a second end of the specimen preparation chamber, the first end of the specimen preparation chamber being opposite of the second end of the specimen preparation chamber;
• an inner capillary connected to the first port of the specimen preparation chamber, wherein the inner capillary has an inner lumen, and wherein the cells suspended in the optical media of the specimen preparation chamber may be advanced through the first port and the inner lumen of the inner capillary;
• wherein the optical media of the specimen preparation chamber has the same refractive index as the inner capillary;
• a plunger connected to the second port of the specimen preparation chamber, wherein the plunger is controllable by an optical imaging system, and wherein the plunger is configured to push the suspended cells through the first port and the inner lumen of the inner capillary where the cells enter an optical path of the optical imaging system for imaging of the cells,
• wherein the cells remain in a native three dimensional shape in the inner capillary for imaging rather than being flatten into a two dimensional shape on a slide for imaging;
• and
• a calibration control system having a memory that stores computer-executable instructions and a processor that executes the computer-executable instructions and causes the processor to:
• perform baseline testing of the optical imaging system using a specimen preparation chamber by collecting image sets for cells in the inner capillary that are within a capillary imaging zone of a specimen cartridge;
• generate a baseline abnormal score histogram from an abnormal classifier score using the cells imaged in the inner capillary within the capillary imaging zone;
• compute baseline variability of the abnormal classifier score by calculating a mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ) for all image sets of cells in the inner capillary that were collected;
• establish a reference distribution by computing a mean (μrefdist) and a standard deviation (σrefdist) of the baseline abnormal score histogram;
• save baseline testing information that includes the baseline abnormal score histogram, the mean (μrefdist), and the standard deviation (σrefdist);
• and
• perform calibration testing of the optical imaging system using a specimen preparation chamber by:
• calculate calibration testing information that includes a new abnormal score histogram, a new mean (μtestdist), and new standard deviation (σtestdist);
• compare the calibration testing information to the baseline testing information;
• determine if the optical imaging system passes calibration testing using the comparison of the calibration testing information to the baseline testing information;
• and
• initiating recalibration of the optical imaging system, in response to determining that the calibration test fails.