Abstract A slide specimen of exfoliated cells is prepared in the usual manner for microscopic optical examination of a Papanicolaou Test, up to the point of staining. At this stage, instead of the ordinary stains, a stain containing a radioisotope is used. The slide with the radioisotope-bearing stain is thereupon passed through a radiation counter which gives an indication of the amount of radiation the slide emits, which indicates the amount of radioactive stain absorbed by the specimen. This relative absorption amount indicates the differential staining of the cellular material and forms the equivalent electronic differentiation of the specimens to the standard Papanicolaou optical differentiation as viewed through the microscope. In this way, the automatic radiation counter is used to substitute for the human element in the microscopic evaluation of the specimens.
In a method as claimed in claim 1 with the step of sorting the slide specimens according to predetermined radioactive levels wherein the slides above a certain level are designated as positive and the slides below the certain level are designated as negative.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a method as claimed in claim 2 with the step of subjecting each positive or suspicious slide to an individual manual examination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a method as claimed in claim 1 with the slide specimen being subjected to a low background radiation counter to ascertain the radioactive levels thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a method as claimed in claim 1 with the step of conveying a plurality of slide specimens successively through the staining and radioactivity ascertaining steps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a method as claimed in claim 5 with the step of establishing a file recording the results of the analysis of a plurality of specimens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a method as claimed in claim 6 with said file being in a storage member unit of a computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a method as claimed in claim 6 with the step of periodically examining the file to determiNe patterns in the data obtained from analysis of the specimens.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a method as claimed in claim 8 with the step of selecting subsequent specimens for analysis based upon patterns determined from the analysis of previous specimens.