Method and apparatus for registering images of histological sections
An automated tissue section slicing, staining, and imaging system efficiently registers full-resolution tissue section images by applying scaled transformation matrices computed to register downsampled tissue section images to the full-resolution tissue section images.
1. A method, comprising:
digitally downsampling a set of full-resolution tissue section images to create a set of downsampled tissue section images;
calculating one or more transform matrices that register the downsampled tissue section images;
scaling the one or more transform matrices to apply to the set of full-resolution tissue section images; and
registering the set of full-resolution tissue section images by applying the scaled one or more transform matrices to the set of full-resolution tissue section images.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
binarizing the set of downsampled tissue section images with a thresholding operation that highlights tissue boundaries and gross anatomy.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images using matrix operations.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images using lower-level image pyramid data generated during an acquisition process.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images by an inverse scale factor of two or more.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
masking the set of full-resolution tissue section images for only highly consequential or highly ordered histology.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
masking the set of full-resolution tissue section images for only tissue boundary or gross anatomy.
8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors cause performance of:
digitally downsampling a set of full-resolution tissue section images to create a set of downsampled tissue section images;
calculating one or more transform matrices that register the downsampled tissue section images;
scaling the one or more transform matrices to apply to the set of full-resolution tissue section images; and
registering the set of full-resolution tissue section images by applying the scaled one or more transform matrices to the set of full-resolution tissue section images.
9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
binarizing the set of downsampled tissue section images with a thresholding operation that highlights tissue boundaries and gross anatomy.
10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images using matrix operations.
11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images using lower-level image pyramid data generated during an acquisition process.
12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images by an inverse scale factor of two or more.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
masking the set of full-resolution tissue section images for only highly consequential or highly ordered histology.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein digitally downsampling the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
masking the set of full-resolution tissue section images for only tissue boundary or gross anatomy.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
digitally downsample a set of full-resolution tissue section images to create a set of downsampled tissue section images;
calculate one or more transform matrices that register the downsampled tissue section images;
scale the one or more transform matrices to apply to the set of full-resolution tissue section images; and
register the set of full-resolution tissue section images by applying the scaled one or more transform matrices to the set of full-resolution tissue section images.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein digitally downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
binarize the set of downsampled tissue section images with a thresholding operation that highlights tissue boundaries and gross anatomy.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein digitally downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images using matrix operations.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein digitally downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images using lower-level image pyramid data generated during an acquisition process.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein digitally downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images by an inverse scale factor of two or more.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein digitally downsample the set of full-resolution tissue section images further comprises:
mask the set of full-resolution tissue section images for only highly consequential or highly ordered histology.