Methods and systems for analyzing biological samples
Methods, computer readable storage media and systems which can be used for analyzing labeled biological samples, identifying chromosomal aberrations, identifying genetically abnormal cells and/or computationally scanning the samples using randomly or randomized scanning methods are provided. Specifically, the present invention can be used to analyze FISH-stained samples and automatically identify chromosomal aberrations associated with abnormal intensity ratio of stained occurrences in the sample.
1. A method of analyzing a labeled biological sample, the method comprising measuring a relative amount of at least one label having at least two occurrences in the labeled biological sample, thereby analyzing the labeled biological sample.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises a DNA sample or an RNA sample.
3. A method of identifying a chromosomal aberration comprising:
(a) in situ staining a chromosome being comprised in a cell of a sample with a nucleic acid probe having at least one label; and
(b) microscopically analyzing a relative amount and optionally a frequency of said at least one label of said nucleic acid probe in said cell, said at least one label having at least two occurrences in said sample, wherein said relative amount and optionally said frequency of said at least one label in said sample are indicative of the chromosomal aberration, thereby identifying the chromosomal aberration.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein measuring said relative amount comprises computationally scanning said sample.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said scanning comprises randomized scanning of said sample.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said randomized scanning comprises randomly scanning an area of at least a portion of a plurality of selected sub-regions of said sample.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein said computationally scanning is effected by a computer-controlled imaging system.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said computer-controlled imaging system comprises an optical microscope, a digital imaging system and a computer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said digital imaging system comprises at least one camera selected from the group consisting of a monochrome camera and a color camera.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said digital imaging system comprises a monochrome camera and a color camera.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said monochrome camera comprises a black and white array detector.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said color camera allows measuring of at least two color channels.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said color camera allows measuring of at least three color channels.
14. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least two occurrences are comprised in a single cell.
15. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least two occurrence are comprised in different cells.
16. The method of claim 3 , further comprising correlating said relative amount to an amount index following said measuring of said relative amount.
17. The method of claim 3 , further comprising correlating said frequency of said at least one label to a frequency index following said measuring said frequency of at least one label.
18. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one nucleic acid probe is a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probe.
19. The method of claim 3 , further comprising identifying the cell nucleus of the cell.
20. A method of identifying a genetically abnormal cell in a sample, the method comprising:
(a) in situ staining a chromosome being comprised in a cell of said sample with a nucleic acid probe having at least one label; and
(b) microscopically analyzing a relative amount and optionally a frequency of said at least one label of said nucleic acid probe in said cell, said at least one label having at least two occurrences in the sample, wherein said relative amount and optionally said frequency of said at least one label in the cell are indicative of a chromosomal aberration, thereby identifying the genetically abnormal cell in the sample.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising identifying the cell nucleus of the cell.