Systems and methods for calibrating, configuring and validating an imaging device or system for multiplex tissue assays
A system and method for characterization and/or calibration of performance of a multispectral imaging (MSI) system equipping the MSI system for use with a multitude of different fluorescent specimens while being independent on optical characteristics of a specified specimen and providing an integrated system level test for the MSI system. A system and method are adapted to additionally evaluate and express operational parameters performance of the MSI system in terms of standardized units and/or to determine the acceptable detection range of the MSI system.
1. A method of calibrating a spectral camera of a multispectral imaging (MSI) system, said method comprising:
illuminating a substrate a first time with a light source of a first predetermined intensity level;
collecting a first set of spectral image data of the substrate via at least one of a sensor of the MSI system and the spectral camera;
illuminating the substrate with the light source a second time at the first predetermined intensity level;
collecting a second set of spectral image data of the substrate via the at least one of the sensor of the MSI system and the spectral camera; and
subtracting the first set of spectral image data from the second set of spectral image data, and generating first difference image data;
collecting a third set of spectral imaging data via the at least of the sensor of the MSI system and the spectral camera at a second predetermined intensity level;
collecting a fourth set of spectral imaging data at the second predetermined intensity level;
subtracting the third set of spectral image data from the fourth set of spectral image data, and generating second difference image data;
calculating at least one of the mode and the mean of the first difference image data;
determining at least one of variance and standard deviation of pixel values of the first difference image data at every wavelength of the first difference image data, based on the at least one of the mode and the mean of the first difference image data, and generating first resulting image data;
calculating at least one of the mode and the mean of the second difference image data;
determining at least one of variance and standard deviation of pixel values of the second difference image data at every wavelength of the second difference image data, based on the at least one of the mode and the mean of the second difference image data, and generating second resulting image data;
generating a conversion value for each wavelength of the second difference image data based on the first resulting image data, the second resulting image data, the at least one of the mode and the mean of the first difference image data, and the at least one of the mode and the mean of the second difference image data, wherein the conversion value is representative of an approximate number of electrons recorded at each pixel per grey level in at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth spectral image data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion value is determined by generating a slope between (1) a set of data corresponding to the first resulting image data as a function of the at least one of a mode and the mean of the first difference image data and (2) a set of data corresponding to the second resulting image data as a function of the at least one of a mode and the mean of the second difference image data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion value for each wavelength is compared to the other conversion values for each wavelength, and wherein differences between the values are utilized to calibrate the MSI system.