Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Process of utilizing an enzyme or micro-organism to destroy... – Destruction of hazardous or toxic waste
Patent
1982-02-18
1984-03-06
Lander, Ferris H.
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Process of utilizing an enzyme or micro-organism to destroy...
Destruction of hazardous or toxic waste
435 2, 435 24, 436 63, 436177, 436 8, 424 3, 210927, C12Q 136, C12Q 142, A01N 102
Patent
active
044355076
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a process for preparation of cell samples for cytological tests of exfoliated cells, and a device for carrying out the process.
Cytological tests of cell samples are now quite prevalent and have proved to be an exceptional means for diagnosing cell changes in the area about the portio-cervix and endocervical canal. Such tests are performed on large numbers of women and not infrequently on entire age groups of women within a district for example.
There are also tests of cell samples taken from other portions of the body done regularly at the cytological laboratories, but not other test is as frequently done as the cervical smear. A cell sample taken from the cervical canal reveals cell changes with a reliability of about 95%, and of these 20-25% are precancerous. A positive response to the cell change test usually results in an operation, a so-called scraping or use of a cone instrument. The results of such treatment are good and well warrant extensive testing of healthy women in certain age groups.
The samples are taken with a curette or similar instrument by scraping cells from the mouth of the cervix. It is of course very important that any cell changes be represented in the sample. There are a number of different types of sampling devices which provide acceptable samples. The samples are taken by inserting a speculum into the vagina whereafter the sampling instrument is inserted and the scraping is done.
The sample material must then be protected from destruction while being transported to the cytological laboratory, suitably by immersion in a fixing solution.
After the sample has arrived at the laboratory it is prepared by dyeing and is inspected in a microscope. The presence of atypical cells is noted and reported. The examination under the microscope and the evaluation requires exceptional attentiveness and is time-consuming, and is considered to be quite demanding work. In 1980 each test cost between 50 and 100 Swed.Kronor.
Consequently, intensive development work is in progress to simplify and make less expensive sampling, sample preparation and sample evaluation. In order to simplify the evaluation of the samples under the microscope, a number of systems have been developed for automatic evaluation of cells as normal or atypical. Algorithms have been formulated for automatic evaluation and the development of commercial systems is fairly far along.
It is thus possible with reasonably good accuracy to determine if atypical cells are present in a cell sample, if the cell sample has been prepared so that a substantial portion of the cells are free cells on the slide. Under certain conditions, a human evaluator can also recognize atypical cells in clumps of cells, however.
This is not the case with automatic examination of a cell sample and thus it is of crucial importance in this case to have as many free cells as possible. Samples have been prepared previously with a conventional syringe, for example, provided with a cannula with a diameter of 500 .mu.m, by alternatingly sucking up and expelling the slurry of scraped cells. This produced cell samples which could be read by an experienced human examiner. In order to be read automatically, the sample preparation must be improved so that the majority of the cells in the sample are free cells.
The purpose of the present invention is thus to provide an effective process for sample preparation of cell samples and a device for carrying out the process.
The new process is essential for establishing a functioning system for automatic cell testing and facilitating substantially the non-automated evaluation of cell samples.
The new process, intended for the preparation of cell samples for cytological testing of exfoliated cells, in which the cell sample is in the form of a slurry in a fixing solution, is characterized in that the slurry is introduced into a first chamber provided with a wall with a large number of holes with a cross section of 10-100 .mu.m and in communication with a second chamber and that said solution, under
REFERENCES:
patent: 3206128 (1965-09-01), MacPherson et al.
patent: 3779371 (1973-12-01), Rovinski
patent: 3870639 (1975-03-01), Moore et al.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, abstract of JP 52-113793 published Sep. 24, 1977, Hitachi Seisakusho K.K.
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