US 9,870,615 B2Granted

Morphology identification in tissue samples based on comparison to named feature vectors

OwnerEdward M Schwalb, Tammy April Schwalbinventors

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Abstract

Locating morphology in a tissue sample is achieved with devices and methods involving storage of a plurality of feature vectors, each associated with a specific named superpixel of a larger image of a tissue sample from a mammalian body. A microscope outputs, in some embodiments, a live image of an additional tissue sample or a digitized version of the output is used. At least one superpixel of the image is converted into a feature vector and a nearest match between the first feature vector and the plurality of stored feature vectors is made. A first name suggestion is then made based on the nearest match comparison to a store feature vector. Further, regions of interest within the image can be brought to a viewer's attention based on their past history of selection, or that of others.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of locating morphology in a tissue sample, comprises the steps of:

obtaining a first, second, and third tissue sample, each removed from an organism;
taking a microscope to each said first, second, and third tissue sample and digitizing magnified image of said first tissue sample, said second, and said third tissue sample;
receiving a selection of at least one superpixel of said image of said first tissue sample;
receiving a named morphology for said at least one superpixel and converting said at least one superpixel into a first feature vector;
extracting superpixels of said image of said second tissue sample and converting each superpixel of said second image of said second tissue into second feature vectors;
finding, using a processor carrying out instructions, within said second feature vectors of said second tissue, a nearest match feature vector to said first feature vector;
and
indicating that a superpixel of said second image associated with said nearest match feature vector is possibly a representation of said named morphology;
after receiving confirmation of a name of said named morphology from a viewer for said named morphology a threshold number of minimum times, a name of said named morphology becomes unchangeable for future scanned superpixels determined to be associated with said named morphology;
and
wherein said third tissue sample has a third superpixel with a feature vector indicated as being a nearest match to a feature vector found in one of said first or said second tissue samples;
further wherein said third superpixel and corresponding superpixels associated with said match feature vector of said first or said second tissue sample are unnamed;
exhibiting at least one of said third superpixel and said corresponding superpixels;
requesting a name for said at least one of said third superpixel and said corresponding superpixels;
and
providing said name at a future time when a feature vector is found corresponding to said third superpixel.

13 more elements

A system for locating morphology in a tissue sample, comprising:

storage of a plurality of feature vectors, each associated with a specific named superpixel of a larger image of a tissue sample from an organism;
a microscope outputting a live image of an additional tissue sample;
a processor carrying out instructions to:
a) convert at least one superpixel of said live image into a first feature vector;
b) find a nearest match between said first feature vector and said plurality of stored feature vectors;
and
c) output a first name suggestion of said at least one superpixel of said live image based on said nearest match to one of said stored plurality of feature vectors associated with said specific named superpixel;
wherein the above is carried out for at least three tissue samples each with different superpixels determined to be a nearest match to said first feature vector, said first feature vector having a name which is changeable;
requesting a name for said first feature vector while exhibiting an unnamed superpixel;
providing said name at a future time when a feature vector is found corresponding to the previously said unnamed superpixel;
wherein upon receiving a confirmation of said name suggestion for said first name a threshold number of minimum times, said first name becomes permanently associated with a particular morphology and is becomes unchangeable for future scanned superpixels determined to be associated with said named morphology.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/653,579Filed 19 Jul 2017
Published: US 2017/0323445 A19 Nov 2017
Granted: 16 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G06V 20/693
Microscopic objects, e.g. biological cells or cellular parts: acquisition
G06T 7/0012
Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection: biomedical image inspection
G06T 7/0014
Biomedical image inspection: using an image reference approach
G06V 20/695
Microscopic objects, e.g. biological cells or cellular parts: preprocessing, e.g. image segmentation