Improved Automated Urinalysis

描述（由申请人提供）：目前的自动尿分析仪器无法识别尿沉渣样本中的晶体、管型及其亚型。该提案旨在开发一种技术，用于通过利用双折射现象自动分类铸件和晶体的类型和亚型。由此产生的成像和分类技术将允许在目前可用的自动尿液分析仪器的量子改进。尿液中的管型和晶体是临床上重要的异常指标。目前的自动化技术无法对铸件和晶体的子类型进行分类。因此，需要对可疑尿样进行人工检查，从而浪费时间和资源。解决办法是改进这类文书使用的分类技术。本项目旨在开发新的光学和模式识别技术，用于尿沉渣中管型和晶体的显微颗粒分析。由于目前使用流式细胞术和图像分析的尿液分析仪器在对管型和晶体的类型和亚型进行分类的能力方面有限，因此该项目特别打算增加对尿液中的管型和晶体进行分型的功能。我们的方法是使用偏光显微镜获得新的功能，以帮助分类的晶体，铸件和其他颗粒。另一个感兴趣的领域是探索这些晶体的磁性，并使用新的技术来检测和识别的影响，磁场对它们的双折射性能的晶体。第一阶段项目的目的是证明双折射作为一个独特的“签名”，可以产生新的功能，用于分类尿液颗粒的实用程序。如果第一阶段的可行性标准得到满足，那么在第二阶段，我们将建立一个自动尿液颗粒分析仪，结合偏振光学与电流显微镜和数字图像处理技术。由此产生的自动化仪器将提供更快、更准确的结果，因此将成为临床诊断中尿液筛查的更重要工具。目前的自动尿分析仪器无法识别尿沉渣样本中的晶体、管型及其亚型。该提案旨在开发一种技术，用于通过利用双折射现象自动分类铸件和晶体的类型和亚型。由此产生的成像和分类技术将允许在目前可用的自动尿液分析仪器的量子改进。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Current automated urinalysis instruments are unable to recognize crystals, casts, and their subtypes in urine sediment samples. This proposal seeks to develop a technique for automated classification of the types and subtypes of casts and crystals by exploiting birefringence phenomena. The resulting imaging and classifying technique will permit a quantum improvement in currently available automated urinalysis instruments. The casts and crystals in the urine are clinically important indicators of abnormalities. Current automated techniques are unable to classify the sub-types of casts and crystals. As a result, manual examination of suspect urine samples is necessary, thus wasting time and resources. The solution is to improve the classification techniques that such instruments use. This project aims to develop novel optical and pattern recognition techniques for microscopic particle analysis of casts and crystals in urine sediment. Since current urinalysis instruments using flow cytometry and image analysis are limited in their ability to classify the types and subtypes of casts and crystals, this project specifically intends to add functionality for sub-typing casts and crystals in urine. Our approach is to use polarization microscopy to obtain new features to aid classification of crystals, casts and other particles. Another area of interest is to explore the magnetic properties of these crystals and to use novel techniques to detect and identify the crystals by the influence that magnetic fields have on their birefringence properties. The aim of the Phase I project is to demonstrate the utility of birefringence as a unique 'signature' that can give rise to new features for classifying urine particles. If the Phase I feasibility criteria are met, then in Phase II we will build an automated urine particle analyzer incorporating polarization optics combined with current flow microscopy and digital image processing techniques. The resulting automated instrument will provide quicker and more accurate results, and will thus become an even more important tool for urine screening in clinical diagnostics. Current automated urinalysis instruments are unable to recognize crystals, casts, and their subtypes in urine sediment samples. This proposal seeks to develop a technique for automated classification of the types and subtypes of casts and crystals by exploiting birefringence phenomena. The resulting imaging and classifying technique will permit a quantum improvement in currently available automated urinalysis instruments.