Pre-identified consumables for tissue processing and method
A uniquely identifiable consumable product for use in a histology or cellular pathology process for processing a biological sample from a source, the consumable product having a unique identifier which is not linked to the source of the sample is provided. By applying a unique identifier to cassettes and other consumable products prior to use, laboratory printers for printing identification information on tissue processing cassettes and on microscope slides and the like are redundant. The unique identifier is then linked to information relating to the sample to be analysed and its source. The physical process of applying a unique identifier to the consumables prior to use enables the decoupling of the physical printing of the consumable from information relating to the source of the sample obviates the need for provision of a printing capability for consumables in laboratories.
1 . A product and information management system comprising:
i) a uniquely identifiable product for use in a histology or cellular pathology process for processing a biological sample, wherein the product comprises a unique identifier which is not linked to the sample or a source of the sample; and
ii) a remote record comprising information unambiguously identified with the unique identifier of the product and linkable to a sample record comprising information about the biological sample, the uniquely identifiable product comprising a unique identifier applied to the product at a point of manufacture which is not linked to the sample or the source of the sample, and wherein the product is selected from a histology processing cassette, a sample container, a sample slide, and a group of products comprising a sample container and one or more of each of a sample slide and a histology processing cassette.
2 . The product and information management system according to claim 1 wherein the remote record is linked to a sample record comprising information about the source of the said biological sample.
3 . The product and information management system according to claim 1 further comprising i) at least one further uniquely identifiable product, each further product comprising a unique identifier and ii) a further remote record comprising information unambiguously identified with that unique identifier of the product wherein the remote record of any such further product is linkable to the remote record of any other product and to a sample record.
4 . The product and information management system according to claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is embedded in a data matrix on or in the product.
5 . The product and information management system according to claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is selected from a 2D data matrix and an RFID chip.
6 . A method of ensuring a first product or groups of products supplied to a first medical establishment and a second product or groups of products supplied to a second medical establishment, which first and second medical establishments are independent of each other, comprise an identifier which is unique to that first product or groups of products supplied to the first medical establishment and different to the identifier applied to the second product or groups of products supplied to the second medical establishment, the method comprising:
applying at a point of manufacture of the first product or groups of products a first unique identifier to the first product or groups of products destined for the first medical establishment and applying at a point of manufacture of the second product a second unique identifier which is different to the first unique identifier to the second product or groups of products destined for the second medical establishment; and
supplying the first and second product or groups of products to the first and second medical establishments, respectively, for use in a histology process or cell pathology process.
7 . A method of uniquely identifying a biological sample in a histology cassette comprising:
i) providing a uniquely identifiable histology processing cassette for use in a histology or cellular pathology process for processing a biological sample from a source, the processing cassette having a unique identifier which is applied at a point of manufacture and is not linked to the sample or the source of the sample and the processing cassette being adapted to be received in apparatus for processing a biological sample;
ii) recording the unique identifier in an information record;
iii) recording sample information relating to the biological sample in the information record thereby creating a link or association between the sample information and the unique identifier; and
iv) placing the biological sample into the histology processing cassette and treating the sample by contacting it with a processing solution comprising molten paraffin wax and cooling the sample in molten paraffin wax so the sample is embedded in solidified paraffin wax for further processing.
8 . The method according to claim 7 comprising providing a sample container containing a biological sample, the container having a pre-identified unique identifier, removing the sample from the container for placement in a cassette and linking, cross-checking or verifying the unique identifier on the container and the cassette.
9 . The method according to claim 7 comprising subjecting the embedded sample and solidified paraffin wax to a microtomy process to produce a sample section and placing the sample section on a viewing support which comprises a pre-identified unique identifier and subjecting the sample to analysis and linking, cross-checking or verifying the unique identifier on the viewing support with that on a cassette and/or sample container.