Method and system for detecting and/or classifying cancerous cells in a cell sample

1. A method for detecting cancerous cells and/or classifying cells in a liquid cell sample comprising the following steps:

providing the liquid cell sample;

obtaining holographic information from said liquid cell sample by digital holographic microscopy (DHM), while said liquid cell sample is in a state of suspension;

deriving at least one cellular parameter from said holographic information, and;

classifying said cells of the liquid cell sample;

characterized in that said classification occurs by appointing a Scoring Factor to said cells of the liquid cell sample, based on said cellular parameters.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one cellular parameter derived from obtained holographic information comprises the optical nuclear height.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one cellular parameters derived from obtained holographic information comprise cell nucleus diameter, chromatin texture, cell size, cell form and cell morphology.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein image identification, comprising an identification tag or code uniquely linked to an obtained image and/or to objects in the image, is linked to said cellular parameters and Scoring Factor derived thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said appointed Scoring Factor is based upon comparison of said at least one cellular parameter and a threshold database.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said threshold database is stored on an internal or external server.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said Scoring Factors are appointed by use of queries on said server.

8. A method according to claim 5 , further comprising the step of providing a practitioner with a digital report comprising Scoring Factors and classification of said cells in cell sample.

9. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of providing two-and three-dimensional images of said cell sample in said digital report.

10. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying the cellular type of said cells in the sample, prior to said classifying cells.

11. A method according to claim 10 , whereby said identifying of cellular types in cell sample occurs based on the cellular parameter cell size.

12. A method according to claim 11 , classifying only subsets of cells, wherein said subsets of cells are associated to specific cell types identified in said cell sample.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said cell sample is a cervical sample.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein said cells in cell sample comprise superficial squamous cells, intermediate squamous cells, basal cells, parabasal cells, red blood cells, macrophages, lymphocytes and micro-organisms.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said superficial squamous cells, intermediate squamous cells, basal cells and parabasal cells are appointed a Scoring Factor.

16. A system for the detection of cancerous cells and/or classification of cells in a cell sample employing the method according to claim 1 , comprising

a digital holographic microscope (DEM) comprising illumination means, an interferometer and a digital recording device connected to a server;

at least one exchangeable sample vial or sample carrier comprising a liquid cell sample; and

a computer or printer capable of providing a digital report related to said liquid cell sample.

17. A system according to claim 16 , whereby said server is an internal or external server.

18. A system according to claim 17 , whereby said server is provided with algorithms for the comparison of said cellular parameters with a threshold database.

19. A system according to claim 16 , whereby said exchangeable sample vial or sample carrier comprises identifying indicia.

20. A system according to claim 19 , whereby said identifying indicia comprise an RFID.

21. A method for updating and/or improving a database comprising thresholds linked to holographic information, comprising the steps of:

obtaining holographic information linked to a liquid cell sample characterized in that said holographic information is obtained using digital holographic microscopy (DHM);

deriving at least one cellular parameter from said holographic information;

comparing said cellular parameter to said thresholds stored in database;

computing a Scoring Factor based on said comparison of said cellular parameter and said thresholds;

reporting said Scoring Factor to a practitioner;

obtaining feedback of said practitioner with regards to said Scoring Factor; and

updating said database on the basis of said feedback.

22. A method according to claim 21 , sending said derived parameter(s) to an external server for said computing a Scoring Factor.

23. A method according to claim 22 , providing queries through an external server for said deriving at least one parameter and/or computing Scoring Factor.

24. A method according to claim 21 , storing identification information linked to said sample.

25. A method according to claim 24 , identifying and/or classifying cells present in said cell sample based upon the computed Scoring Factors.

26. A database of objects comprising:

holographic information obtained from a liquid cell sample comprising said objects using digital holographic microscope and/or parameters derived thereof, wherein the objects are cells;

thresholds and queries related to said thresholds for the analysis of said holographic information and/or parameters;

Scoring Factors derived from said holographic information and/or parameters;

image identification;

identification information;

wherein said thresholds and queries of database are updated based upon receiving feedback information from a third party.

27. A database according to claim 26 , whereby said holographic information and/or parameters derived thereof are linked to identification information and/or image identification.