Radiant energy – Luminophor irradiation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-19
2004-11-23
Hannaher, Constantine (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Luminophor irradiation
C250S461100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06822242
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image data producing method and apparatus and, particularly, to such an image data producing method and apparatus which can produce low-noise image data rapidly with a simple operation by irradiating an image carrier including independently formed and two-dimensionally distributed specimen spots, at least some of which contain a fluorescent substance, with a stimulating ray to excite the fluorescent substance and photoelectrically detecting fluorescence emission released from the fluorescent substance.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
An autoradiographic system using as a detecting material for detecting radiation a stimulable phosphor which can absorb, store and record the energy of radiation when it is irradiated with radiation and which, when it is then stimulated by an electromagnetic wave having a specified wavelength, can release stimulated emission whose light amount corresponds to the amount of radiation with which it was irradiated is known, which comprises the steps of introducing a radioactive labeling substance into an organism, using the organism or a part of the tissue of the organism as a specimen, superposing the specimen and a stimulable phosphor sheet formed with a stimulable phosphor layer for a certain period of time, storing and recording radiation energy in a stimulable phosphor contained in the stimulable phosphor layer, scanning the stimulable phosphor layer with an electromagnetic wave to excite the stimulable phosphor, photoelectrically detecting the stimulated emission released from the stimulable phosphor to produce digital image signals, effecting image processing on the obtained digital image signals, and reproducing an image on displaying means such as a CRT or the like or a photographic film (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-60784, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-60782, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-3952 and the like).
Unlike the system using a photographic film, according to the autoradiographic system using the stimulable phosphor as a detecting material, development, which is chemical processing, becomes unnecessary. Further, it is possible reproduce a desired image by effecting image processing on the obtained image data and effect quantitative analysis using a computer. Use of a stimulable phosphor in these processes is therefore advantageous.
On the other hand, a fluorescence detecting system using a fluorescent substance as a labeling substance instead of a radioactive labeling substance in the autoradiographic system is known. According to this system, it is possible to study a genetic sequence, to study the expression level of a gene, and to effect separation or identification of protein or estimation of the molecular weight or properties of protein or the like. For example, this system can perform a process including the steps of distributing a plurality of DNA fragments on a gel support by means of electrophoresis after a fluorescent dye was added to a solution containing a plurality of DNA fragments to be distributed, or distributing a plurality of DNA fragments on a gel support containing a fluorescent dye, or dipping a gel support on which a plurality of DNA fragments have been distributed by means of electrophoresis in a solution containing a fluorescent dye, thereby labeling the electrophoresed DNA fragments, exciting the fluorescent dye by a stimulating ray to cause it to release fluorescent light, detecting the released fluorescent light to produce an image and detecting the distribution of the DNA fragments on the gel support. This system can also perform a process including the steps of distributing a plurality of DNA fragments on a gel support by means of electrophoresis, denaturing the DNA fragments, transferring at least a part of the denatured DNA fragments onto a transfer support such as a nitrocellulose support by the Southern-blotting method, hybridizing a probe prepared by labeling target DNA and DNA or RNA complementary thereto with the denatured DNA fragments, thereby selectively labeling only the DNA fragments complementary to the probe DNA or probe RNA, exciting the fluorescent dye by a stimulating ray to cause it to release fluorescent light, detecting the released fluorescent light to produce an image and detecting the distribution of the target DNA on the transfer support. This system can further perform a process including the steps of preparing a DNA probe complementary to DNA containing a target gene labeled by a labeling substance, hybridizing it with DNA on a transfer support, combining an enzyme with the complementary DNA labeled by a labeling substance, causing the enzyme to contact a fluorescent substance, transforming the fluorescent substance to a fluorescent substance having fluorescent light releasing property, exciting the thus produced fluorescent substance by a stimulating ray to release fluorescent light, detecting the fluorescent light to produce an image and detecting the distribution of the target DNA on the transfer support. This fluorescence detecting system is advantageous in that a genetic sequence or the like can be easily detected without using a radioactive substance.
Furthermore, an analysis plate, called a micro-titer plate, that is provided with numerous wells in which a specimen solution can be held is known to be used with one fluorescence detecting system. According to this system, biochemical analysis is effected by accommodating a specimen solution labeled with a fluorescent substance in wells, irradiating the specimen solution with a stimulating ray to excite the fluorescent substance and detecting fluorescence emission released from the fluorescent substance.
Further, a micro-array detecting system has been recently developed, which comprises the steps of using a spotting device to drop at different positions on the surface of a carrier such as a slide glass plate, a membrane filter or the like specific binding substances, which can specifically bind with a substance derived from a living organism such as a hormone, tumor marker, enzyme, antibody, antigen, abzyme, other protein, a nuclear acid, cDNA, DNA, RNA or the like and whose sequence, base length, composition and the like are known, thereby forming a number of independent spots, specifically binding the specific binding substances using a hybridization method or the like with a substance derived from a living organism such as a hormone, tumor marker, enzyme, antibody, antigen, abzyme, other protein, a nuclear acid, cDNA, DNA or mRNA, which is gathered from a living organism by extraction, isolation or the like or is further subjected to chemical processing, chemical modification or the like and which is labeled with a labeling substance such as a fluorescent substance, dye or the like, thereby forming a micro-array, irradiating the micro-array with a stimulating ray, photoelectrically detecting light such as fluorescence emitted from a labeling substance such as a fluorescent substance, dye or the like, and analyzing the substance derived from a living organism. This micro-array image detecting system is advantageous in that a substance derived from a living organism can be analyzed in a short time period by forming a number of spots of specific binding substances at different positions of the surface of a carrier such as a slide glass plate at high density and hybridizing them with a substance derived from a living organism and labeled with a labeling substance.
In the fluorescent detecting system and the micro-array detecting system, data for biochemical analysis such as image data are produced by irradiating a labeling substance with a stimulating ray to excite it and photoelectrically detecting fluorescence emission released from the labeling substance by a light detector. Therefore, since noise is generated to lower the accuracy of analysis if the stimulating ray enters the light detector, a stimulating ray cut filter is provided for blocking the stimulating ray and preventing it from entering the light detector.
However, even whe
Hannaher Constantine
Moran Timothy J.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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