Microscopy imaging system and method

A computer readable medium including a computer program encoded with instructions for carrying out a method for acquiring digital images of a microscope specimen using an automated microscopy image scanning system comprising the steps of:

• determining whether an area of the specimen contained within a microscope field of view has a thickness such that a focused image can be achieved by capturing images in more than one optical plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the image scanning system;
• capturing digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using a single digital camera at a plurality of focusing positions if the area has said thickness;
• capturing at least one digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using the single digital camera at a single focusing position if the area does not have said thickness;
• and
• deciding whether the image capturing steps are complete, and if not,
• moving to a different area of the specimen by scanning the microscope field of view in an optical plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the image scanning system;
• and
• repeating the determining and capturing steps.

A computer readable medium including a computer program encoded with instructions for carrying out a method for acquiring digital images of a microscope specimen using an automated microscopy image scanning system, the program comprising:

• a program step for determining whether an area of the specimen contained within a microscope field of view has a thickness such that a focused image can be achieved by capturing images in more than one optical plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the image scanning system;
• a program step for capturing digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using a single digital camera at a plurality of focusing positions, if it is determined that the area of the specimen contained within the field of view has said thickness;
• a program step for capturing at least one digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using the single digital camera at a single focusing position, if it is determined that the area of the specimen contained within the field of view does not have said thickness;
• a program step for deciding whether the image capturing program steps are complete, and if not:
• a program step for moving to a different area of the specimen by scanning the microscope field of view in an optical plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the image scanning system;
• and
• a program step for repeating the determining and capturing program steps.

A computer controlled microscopy imaging system configured to carry out a method for acquiring digital images of a microscope specimen comprising the steps of:

• determining whether an area of the specimen contained within a microscope field of view has a thickness such that a focused image can be achieved by capturing images in more than one optical plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the image scanning system;
• capturing digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using a single digital camera at a plurality of focusing positions if the area has said thickness;
• capturing at least one digital images of the area of the specimen contained within the microscope field of view using the single digital camera at a single focusing position if the area does not have said thickness;
• and
• deciding whether the image capturing steps are complete, and if not,
• moving to a different area of the specimen by scanning the microscope field of view in an optical plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the image scanning system;
• and
• repeating the determining and capturing steps.