Patent ID: 8088715

Claim:
An automated method of detecting and enumerating circulating tumor cells in fluids obtained from patients, said methods comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining a microscope slide having deposited thereon a cell population sample with one or more cancer cells therein, contacted with one or more distinguishable labeled probes directed to one or more characteristic features predetermined to identify tumor cells among normal cells, wherein said contacting is done under conditions sufficient to affix labeled probe; (ii) analyzing said labeled cells on a high-throughput robotic digital microscopy platform programmed to automatically: (a) locate said labeled cell at low magnification; followed by (b) verification of cells bearing at least one said labeled probe at high magnification; (c) determine a cell as a tumor cell if said labeled probe is detected at high magnification; (d) automatically counting normal cells and cancerous cells in a field; and (e) providing a representation of said cancerous cells in said normal cell count.