User interface method and system for management and control of automated image processing in high content screening or high throughput screening
Inventors
Ingermanson, Randall S. • Hilton, Jeffrey M.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8107711-B2
Publication Date
2012-01-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
A user interface method and system for controlling automated image processing operations of HCS and/or HTS systems includes a graphical interface to enable user designation of an image naming convention, image sources and destinations, image processing channels, processing parameter values, and processing spatial designations.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a user interface method for controlling automated processing of images acquired from a sample of biological material in a high content/high throughput screening context. A graphical user interface receives designations of image sources and image destinations and configures automated image processing channels corresponding to image components.
The user interface receives first and second image processing channels and settings of a parameter value for an image component so that automated image processing generates mask images from stored images. The generated mask images are displayed and include a first mask image and a second mask image, with the first and second masks representing unequal counts of positions of the first component or unequal sizes of the first component.
The user interface supports channel assignments and parameter tuning including dyes such as a nuclear stain and an RNA stain, threshold factors, and a nuclear-size parameter. The disclosed system generates downstream quantitative outputs such as CSV data tables and summary statistics for quantitative modeling and analysis, and it includes an exemplary transcription/mRNA assay example showing dose-response performance for IL-8 mRNA and effects of adjusting nuclear size and threshold settings on detection accuracy.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are directed to a user interface method controlling automated image processing, including configuring image sources and destinations and channel settings so that mask images are generated and displayed with unequal component counts or sizes. Across the independent claims, the core coverage includes receiving GUI designations, selecting image processing channels corresponding to image components, generating mask images according to settings, and presenting first and second mask images having unequal component results.
Graphical user interface configuration of image sources and image processing channels
Displaying a graphical user interface; receiving via the graphical user interface a designation of image sources; receiving via the graphical user interface a designation of first and second image processing channels, each image processing channel corresponding to a respective image component.
Parameter value setting for an image component to drive automated mask generation
Receiving via the graphical user interface settings of a parameter value for an image component; displaying mask images generated according to the settings by an automated image process from an image stored at an image source.
Comparative mask images with unequal component counts
The mask images including a first mask image with masks representing a first count of positions of the first component in the image according to a first setting and a second mask image with masks representing a second count of positions of the first component in the image according to a second setting, wherein the first and second counts are unequal.
Graphical user interface designation of sources and destinations with stored masks
Displaying a graphical user interface; receiving via the graphical user interface a designation of image sources and destinations; receiving via the graphical user interface a designation of at least one image processing channel corresponding to a respective image component; storing at the designated image destinations mask images generated by an automated image process from images stored at the designated image sources; displaying mask images stored at an image destination.
Comparative mask images with unequal component sizes
The mask images including a first mask image with masks representing a first size of the first component in the image and a second mask image with masks representing a second size of the first component in the image, wherein the first and second sizes are unequal.
The independent claims broadly cover GUI-driven control of automated image processing for biological-material images, where user-designated sources and destinations and image processing channels are used to generate and display mask images. The mask images provide comparative results in which first and second masks represent unequal component counts or unequal component sizes, based on different settings.
Stated Advantages
Allows adjustment of automated image processing settings to generate comparative mask images for an image component with unequal counts or unequal sizes.
Supports generating and displaying mask images generated according to user settings and storing mask images at designated destinations.
Enables downstream quantitative outputs such as CSV data tables and summary statistics used for quantitative modeling and analysis.
Documented Applications
Example use for transcription/mRNA assays, including IL-8 mRNA, with dose-response performance and effects of adjusting nuclear size and threshold settings on detection accuracy.
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