JPS5844269B2 - Cytology device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cytodiagnosis device that is capable of detecting cell morphological characteristics as well as isolation and extracting cells suspected of being cancer cells, for example.

In recent years, mass cancer screenings have been carried out as a preventive medicine measure.

Conventionally, in this mass medical examination, cells collected from subjects were smeared onto, for example, a slide glass, and laboratory technicians performed cytodiagnosis using a microscope.

In this cytodiagnosis, it is necessary to smear a plurality of cells on a slide glass so that they do not overlap, and the collected cells are chemically separated using, for example, a proteolytic enzyme.

It was also physically separated using ultrasound.

However, even when such cell separation methods are used, it is difficult to obtain completely isolated cells, and the above methods also cause morphological destruction and chemical alteration.

Furthermore, so-called pretreatment for performing such cytodiagnosis requires a large amount of time, making it impossible to perform cytodiagnosis efficiently.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a cytodiagnosis device that simplifies pretreatment and can perform cytodiagnosis efficiently while avoiding cell deterioration. It's about doing.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a cell image input unit which images collected cells and outputs a cell image signal.

The cell image signal output from the cell image input section 1 is processed by the cell detection section 2 and cells are detected.

The cell signals detected by the cell detection section 2 are transferred to the feature extraction section 3, where cells with characteristic changes, such as cancer cells, are extracted.

The cell signals extracted by the feature extraction section 3 are sent to the diagnosis section 4, which detects cell abnormalities according to predetermined diagnostic logic.

In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a control device that controls the operational timing of each of the above-mentioned parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.

By the way, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the cell image input section 1 is constructed as shown in FIG.

That is, cells 6 to be diagnosed are stained and smeared on a glass slide 7.

The smeared cells 6 are irradiated from below in the drawing by means not shown, and the transmitted light image, that is, the cell image, is captured by an imaging device 11 such as a television camera.

The image pickup device 11 is controlled by an image pickup device control device 12, and scans the cell image on the slide glass 7 in response to a synchronization signal from the image pickup device control device 12.

The image pickup device 11 outputs a video signal proportional to the amount of transmitted light obtained by this scanning.

The signal output from this image pickup device 11 is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter ADC13, and is digitally encoded by this ADC13.

Note that this digital encoding is performed in synchronization with a synchronization signal from the image pickup device control device 12.

This digitally encoded video signal is sent to a comparator 14.
The supplied image signal is compared with a preset cytoplasm concentration threshold CT and output as a binarized image signal.

Further, the digitally encoded video signal outputted from the ADC 13 is outputted as is, separately from the comparator 14.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the two-dimensional image register 21 for cell detection in the cell detection unit 2.

This register 21 is for configuring the binarized image signal output from the comparator 14 into a two-dimensional image signal,
The bit array is m bits x n lines.

Then, the binary image signals are sequentially written into the register 21 in which the bits are arranged in this manner.

Moreover, on this register 21, there is constructed a double mask consisting of an inner mask 21a surrounded by a solid line and marked with an asterisk (*) in the figure, and an outer mask 21b surrounded by a broken line in the figure and marked with a 0 mark outside the inner mask 21a. ing.

The picture element length n-2 of the inner mask 21a is set so as not to exceed the diameter of the target cell.

However, in the above double mask, HI indicating the presence of cells
A GH level signal exists in at least one picture element (bit) constituting the inner mask 21a, and the outer mask 21b
When it is determined that none of the picture elements (bits) constituting the cell exist, the cell can be found to be isolated.

Using such a two-dimensional image register 21, for example, the fourth
The cell detection section 2 is configured as shown in the figure.

That is, as described above, the binary image signals are sequentially written into the register 21 by the clock signal CP.

Each bit of the inner mask 21a is connected to each input terminal of an OR circuit 22 so as to be logically summed.

Further, each bit of the outer mask 21b is connected to each input terminal of the NOR circuit 23 so that a negative OR is performed.

In other words, the OR circuit 22 outputs a HIGH level signal when there is at least one HIGH level bit in the inner mask 21a, and the NOR circuit 23 outputs a HIGH level signal when all bits in the outer mask 21b are at a LOW level. outputs a HIGH level signal.

The respective output signals of the OR circuit 22 and the NOR circuit 23 are supplied to a three-man AND gate circuit 24, which is controlled to open and close by the ready signal READY from the feature extraction section 3, and is connected to the set input terminal of the flip-flop circuit FF25. is being supplied to.

Further, the output of the AND gate circuit 24 is
It is also supplied to the reset terminal of No.1.

On the other hand, the video signal digitally encoded by the ADC 13 is sequentially written into a data register 26 in which a plurality of registers 21 are provided in parallel using the clock pulse signal CP.

The AT) C13 digitally encodes the video signal at, for example, 6 bits and 64 levels, and the data register 26 has a register configuration of 6 bits per unit into which the 64 level digitally encoded signal is written.

The output signal of this data register 26 is transferred in parallel to the feature extraction section 3 via a gate circuit 27.

Further, the gate circuit 27 is controlled to open and close by the output signal of the FF 25.

Also, the signal output from FF25 is the AND gate circuit 2.
8 is also controlled to open and close to supply the clock pulse signal CP to the counter 29.

The value counted by this counter 29 is monitored by a comparator 30.

This comparator 30 outputs a signal when the count value by the counter 29 reaches a preset value, for example, the value n of n columns corresponding to the detected isolated cell, and outputs a signal to the FF 25.
At the same time, the counter 29 is reset.

According to the cell detection section 2 having such a configuration, the binarized image signal obtained by the cell image input section 1 and the digitally encoded video signal are written into the two-dimensional image register 21 and the data register 26, respectively.

Therefore, 2 of the video signal written to the data register 26
The digitized digital signal is written to the register 21 and Δ is written therein.

Then, the cell integrity is detected from the signal written in the register 21 using a double mask.

If cell isolation is not detected here, the AND gate circuit 24 does not output a signal at the E(IGH level) and FF2'5 is not set.

Therefore, the video signal written in the data register 26 is considered to be a signal inappropriate for feature extraction and is not transferred to the feature extraction section.

Further, in the double mask, when the presence of cells is confirmed by the inner mask 21a and the isolation of cells is confirmed by the outer mask 21b, a HIGH level signal is output to the AND gate circuit 24.

At this time, H
When the IGH level ready signal arrives, the AND gate circuit 24 outputs a HIGH level signal and the FF 25
Set the .

By setting this FF 25, the gate circuit 27 and the AND gate circuit 2B are opened.

The video signal written in the data register 26 is then transferred to the feature extraction section 3, where its features are extracted.

At this time, the counter 29 counts the amount of video signal transferred, and when a predetermined signal is transferred, the comparator 30 resets the FF 25 to return it to its initial state.

Cell detection by the cell detection section 2 is thus completed, and only cell image signals suitable for feature extraction are transferred to the feature extraction section 3.

Then, preparations are made for cell detection of the next inputted cell image signal.

The cell image signal thus detected and transferred to the feature extraction section 3 is temporarily written into a storage device such as the data register 26, although not shown.

For example, in a cancer checkup, the cells are compared with cell morphology specific to cancer cells, and the comparison results are sent to the diagnosis section 4.

The diagnostic unit 4 is, for example, a computer, and detects cell abnormalities based on preset diagnostic logic, and extracts cells suspected of having cancer.

Note that the diagnosis section 4 may be configured so that the diagnosis is performed by a laboratory technician based on the characteristics of the cells extracted by the feature extraction section 3.

As described above, according to the present apparatus, it is possible to detect at high speed the erect cells that are unlikely to form bonds between cells from the cells 6 smeared on the slide glass 7.

Therefore, there is almost no need for pretreatment of separating collected cells using physical or chemical means as in the past.

Therefore, cytodiagnosis can be performed without causing any physical or chemical alteration to the cells through pretreatment.

Furthermore, even if there is some overlapping of cells, since the isolation of the cells is sequentially detected, the cells of the above-mentioned type can be removed from the objects of the medical examination.

Therefore, considering the above-mentioned advantage of being able to detect at high speed,
The number of cells subjected to medical examination can be increased, and the absolute number of cells can be increased.

Therefore, since the number of cells suitable for diagnosis increases, it is possible to improve the reliability of diagnosis.

Furthermore, since only the erect cells can be targeted for diagnosis, the burden on the diagnostic section 4 can be reduced and the efficiency of diagnostic work can be improved.

That is, more cytodiagnosis can be performed within a predetermined period of time, and more accurate cytodiagnosis can be performed.

Moreover, FIG. 5 is a schematic system diagram showing the cell detection section 3 of another embodiment of the present invention.

That is, in the first embodiment, the two-dimensional image register 31
is added, and this register 31 also detects information on the cell nucleus.

An image signal that has been compared with a nuclear concentration threshold NT and binarized by a comparator 15 (shown in FIG. 2) provided in the input section 1 is written into this register 31.

The double mask set in this register 31 detects the isolation of cell nuclei, thereby increasing the reliability of diagnostic cell detection.

With such a device, in addition to the functions and effects of the first embodiment described above, the presence of cells can be detected more precisely,
The reliability of cytodiagnosis can be increased.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

For example, the shape of the double mask may be appropriately set depending on the shape of the cells to be diagnosed.

In addition, the results detected by the inner mask 21a1 and the outer mask 21b are simply determined by the OR circuit 22 and the NOR circuit 23, but the detection results are counted, for example by counting the number of HIGH level bits, for rough diagnosis of cells. You may also do this.

Then, based on this result, a cell image signal to be transferred to the feature extraction section 3 may be selected to reduce the burden of cytodiagnosis.

Furthermore, the reliability of cytodiagnosis may be increased by counting the number of cell information transferred to the feature extraction unit 3.

In addition, for example, an analog storage element such as a CCD (charge coupled device) is used for the data register 26,
The cell image signal imaged by the imaging device 11 may be temporarily stored as an analog signal.

Furthermore, the image of the cells 6 captured by the imaging device 11 may be enlarged and captured using a magnifying lens or the like to improve the accuracy of the image information.

As described in detail above, the cytodiagnosis device according to the present invention includes an imaging device that images smeared cells and obtains cell image signals, and a memory that configures and stores the cell images captured by this imaging device into a two-dimensional image. A device, a double mask consisting of an inner mask and an outer mask provided in a specific area on a two-dimensional image stored in this storage device, and cells from each image of the inner mask and outer mask of this double mask. The device is equipped with a detector for detecting the isolation of cells, and a means for extracting cells to be used for diagnosis based on the detection results of the detector.

Therefore, according to the present invention, pretreatment such as cell separation work required for cytodiagnosis can be simplified, and morphological destruction and chemical deterioration of cells, which were caused in conventional pretreatment, do not occur. .

In addition, it is possible to provide a cytodiagnosis device that has various special advantages such as being able to detect isolated cells at high speed and performing cytodiagnosis efficiently and with high reliability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the cell image input section in the same embodiment, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a two-dimensional image register, and Fig. 4 is a cell FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the cell detection unit in another embodiment of the present invention. 1...Cell image input section, 2...Cell detection section, 3...
・Feature extraction unit, 4...Diagnosis unit, 11...Imaging device, 1
4゜15... Comparator, 21... Two-dimensional image register, 22... OR circuit (first detector), 23... NOR circuit (second detector), 26... data register.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device that images the smeared cells and obtains a cell image signal, a storage device that composes and stores the cell images captured by this imaging device into a two-dimensional image, and a two-dimensional image stored in this storage device. A double mask consisting of an inner mask and an outer mask provided in a specific area above, a detector for detecting isolation of cells from each image of the inner mask and outer mask of this double mask, and this detector. 1. A cytodiagnosis device comprising means for extracting cells to be subjected to diagnosis based on the detection results of.