Patent ID: 8877509
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of determining if a biological sample of cells contains dysplastic or carcinomic cells the method comprising: obtaining a biological sample suspected of containing dysplastic or carcinomic cells from human sputum from a patient suspected of having lung cancer; labeling the biological sample with between about 0.05-1.0 μg/ml of Meso Tetra (4-Carboxyphenyl) Porphine (TCPP) in an aqueous alcohol of between 50% and 90% isopropanol alcohol solution at a pH of between 6.0 and 10.5 to stain cells suspected to be dysplastic or carcinomic; exciting the sample with an excitation wavelength from a light source having a controlled emission rate for a wavelength of light limited to 475 nm+/−30 nm; focusing an imager on the plasma membrane of i) one or more cells suspected of containing dysplastic or carcinomic cells and ii) normal cells to capture an image of i) and ii) at a sensor having pixels capable of quantifying the photon flux at any given pixel on the sensor wherein the sensor comprises a CCD and wherein the imager comprises a fluorescent microscope; detecting at the sensor emission limited to 655 nm+/−30 nm if present from TCPP-labeled cells after focusing on the plasma membrane of i) one or more cells suspected of containing dysplastic or carcinomic cells and ii) normal cell one or more cells of the biological sample suspected of containing dysplastic or carcinomic cells; measuring photon flux at each pixel of the sensor to obtain a quantitative value for the imaged cells; and automatically scoring with an appropriately-programmed processor whereby the measured quantitative value to determine if a cell is cancerous or dysplastic based upon a preferential binding of TCPP to the plasma membrane of a cancerous or dysplastic cell as compared to the plasma membrane of a non-cancerous cell.