Patent ID: 8000509

Claim:
An automated microscope method comprising: illuminating a specimen that has been hybridized with a fluorescent label; capturing one or more images of said specimen with an electronic imaging device having a dynamic intensity range wherein said capturing comprises performing steps a) through e), one or more times, until dimmest portions of said specimen are exposed above a minimum end of said dynamic intensity range: a) determining brightest spots of said specimen; b) adjusting exposure parameters so that said brightest spots are exposed at a maximum end of said dynamic intensity range; c) capturing an image using said electronic imaging device; d) analyzing dimmest portions of said captured image to determine if said dimmest portions are exposed above said minimum end of said dynamic intensity range; e) if said dimmest portions of said image are not exposed above said minimum end of said dynamic intensity range, masking said brightest spots, and increasing said exposure parameters for next image; enumerating objects of interest in said one or more captured images; identifying and segmenting at least one nucleus within said specimen in said one or more captured images; counting, characterizing, and reporting at least one fluorescent signal emitted by said fluorescent label within said nucleus.