Innovative Solutions

The Efficient Way to Find Metaphases 

Automation of metaphase finding is one of most efficient ways to improve throughput and quality in classical cytogenetics. The metaphase finder MSearch is based on the high-performance slide scanning platform Metafer. MSearch automatically finds your metaphases on any slide, and it is easily adaptable to all kinds of preparations and staining, whether Giemsa or fluorescently stained. Detected metaphases are automatically stored as thumbnail images in an overview gallery, and can be relocated by just one mouse click. Coordinates are easily transferred to any available manual microscope. The direct interface to Ikaros and Isis makes MSearch a powerful tool for convenient and fast chromosome analysis.

Metafer's open concept allows for configuration as stand-alone system as well as a part of larger, network-based multi-user environment. In a network configuration, MSearch transfers data like case name, slide designation, coordinates, clone number, and more to the Ikaros karyotyping and to the Isis FISH imaging software.

• User adaptable Classifier (detection algorithm)
  Easy adaptation and parameter optimization to different cell types and preparations is of crucial importance for making an automated system useful for routine analysis. To facilitate this task, MSearch* provides sophisticated training and optimization routines.

• Metaphase Gallery
  The metaphase gallery, generated in real time during the search, provides fast overview of detected objects. Metaphases are easily relocated by clicking on the respective gallery image for detailed inspection under the microscope or on the live image screen. Using the mouse makes navigation through the gallery comfortable and fast, metaphases can easily be selected, rejected or deleted by the command buttons next to the gallery.

• Automatic calculation of the mitotic index
  The mitotic index (MI) is an important measure for the proliferation status of a cell population. It is calculated automatically in the background and the positions of all metaphases and nuclei are shown on an overview of the current slide.

• Full automation, no user interaction required
  After performing a search in low resolution using the search classifier the system will automatically switch to a high resolution objective and capture images in optimum quality if linked to the AutoCapt classifier.

• Managing aberration / toxicology studies
  Blinding is a must in diagnostics and research to prevent conscious and subconscious bias. MSearch has a built in functionality to manage complex aberration/toxicology studies consisting of several experiments. Starting the study, the supervisor uses the setup mask to enter all experimental details. After finishing the setup, unique slide codes are generated. After finishing the study, slides names can be decoded for further proceeding.

• Capturing in quality sorted order
  Definition of metaphase quality is dependent on many parameters and differs from lab to lab. Using a simple interface, the operator can establish a personal quality rank based on representative metaphases. Automatic quality sorting of metaphases according to the predefined criteria enables fully automatic capturing of high quality metaphases without manual intervention.

• Automatic export of high resolution images for analysis
  To provide a seamless workflow, images are automatically exported after processing each slide and are immediately ready for analysis on all Ikaros and Isis systems connected to the network.

Special Functions

Functionality of our solutions is continuously extended. Metafer MSearch is much more than a metaphase finder: it actually provides a wide variety of tools to configure the system to a degree of automation exactly matching the required workflow.

• Barcode
  To provide an even higher degree of automation, MSearch can automatically read bar code labels. The barcode can hold information as case name, specimen type, culture designation, slide designation and others and is automatically read by a microscope objective. To ensure highest flexibility, the translation for any part of the bar code can be freely defined to meet laboratory requirements.
• Automatic immersion oil application
  To further reduce the need for manual interaction, immersion oil can be applied automatically to all slides selected for capturing in high resolution following the scanning process.
• Coverslip detection
  Often areas that have to be scanned on a slide are not predefined. Hence, in many cases coverslips define the regions of interest and are mostly placed on different positions on the slide. The automatic coverslip detection automatically finds the position of the coverslip for each single slide. Subsequently the scan for metaphases is performed within the limits of the coverslip.
• Region definition (detection of clones)
  The new, extended function to define regions on a slide can be used to either mark clones on a slide interactively, or to let the system detect them automatically after a scan. Regions or clones are then visualized in the slide preview. Each clone receives a designation which is tracked through all further analysis steps.
  With flexible parameters the automated detection of regions can be precisely adjusted to the requirements. Parameters include the minimum number of metaphases or nuclei within each region, the minimal and the maximal region diameter, and the overlap to be allowed for regions. If regions are allowed to overlap, metaphases appearing in the overlap may be automatically rejected.
  Once the regions are defined, the number of metaphases and nuclei within each region is stored. It is then easy to select and display metaphases from a certain region, or even to ask AutoCapt to capture only metaphases from defined regions. The region number is automatically assigned to each metaphase, and is of course also transferred to Ikaros.

High Throughput

All components of MSearch are optimized for highest speed and throughput. The smart composition of software design and selected hardware guarantees for highest performance during the experimental setup and scanning procedure.

• Optimized user interface
  Intelligent menu structure and context dependent assignment of mouse buttons enables intuitive navigation through the software and a fast experimental setup. Even inexperienced users can start a search after a short familiarization.

• Variable search window
  To optimize the search speed of the system, search windows are easily definable and adaptable to any kind of template used for metaphase spreading.

• High troughput: the SlideFeeder
  Unattended over night scanning of up to 880 slides without manual interaction saves valuable daytime for analysis. The smart design of the Slidefeeder x80 with up to 11 slide magazines allows comfortable loading at the lab bench.

Sophisticated Data Management

Providing an efficient platform for automation of cytogenetics requires a fast and reliable data management. All images captured and exported by MSearch* are stored and managed as relatively small single files. Only the original image is stored together with a list of processing steps, and all other views are created from this data set.

• Multi user environment
  The single file structure allows multiple users to analyze images from the same case at the same time. Even exact the same metaphase can be viewed on multiple computers from multiple sites simultaneously allowing most effective teamwork.

• Real time access
  Images are simple read and edited directly from the server, enabling real time access to all data from all workstations. All modifications directly affect the original file and are immediately visible for all users in the network.

• Data integrity
  Combined with the MetaSystems MetaArchive backup solution, the single file structure provides a very high degree of data integrity. Even in the worst case, if single files are corrupted, the bulk of information can be restored.