Patent ID: 8877146

Claim:
An apparatus for processing a tissue sample, comprising: a cassette for holding the tissue sample, said cassette formed from a material capable of being sectioned in a microtome and including: a body including a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending upwardly with respect to said bottom wall to define an interior space for receiving the tissue sample, and at least one detectable element on said cassette for detection by an automated sensing system, said detectable element representing at least one characteristic of said cassette; and a frame having a through opening defining a space for removably receiving said cassette, said cassette being insertable into said through opening on one side of said frame and retained in a first position within said frame and movable to a second position in which the sectionable bottom wall of the cassette body and the tissue sample are moved out from the through opening on an opposite side of said frame and retained in the second position, wherein said frame is adapted to support said cassette in the microtome with said cassette retained in said second position during sectioning of the tissue sample; wherein said at least one detectable element distinguishes said cassette from a second cassette that is configured to be removably received in said frame.