Abstract
In this paper we report the development of a cost-effective, modular, open source, and fully automated slide-scanning microscope, composed entirely of easily available off-the-shelf parts, and capable of bright field and fluorescence modes. The automated X-Y stage is composed of two low-cost micrometer stages coupled to stepper motors operated in open-loop mode. The microscope is composed of a low-cost CMOS sensor and low-cost board lenses placed in a 4f configuration. The system has approximately 1 micron resolution, limited by the f/# of available board lenses. The microscope is compact, measuring just 25×25×30 cm, and has an absolute positioning accuracy of ±1 μm in the X and Y directions. A Z-stage enables autofocusing and imaging over large fields of view even on non-planar samples, and custom software enables automatic determination of sample boundaries and image mosaicking. We demonstrate the utility of our device through imaging of fluorescent- and transmission-dye stained blood and fecal smears containing human and animal parasites, as well as several prepared tissue samples. These results demonstrate image quality comparable to high-end commercial microscopes at a cost of less than US$400 for a bright-field system, with an extra US$100 needed for the fluorescence module.
Highlights
As health care costs rise, there is an increasing interest in finding lower-cost methods of providing high-quality care
An open source microscope for resource-constrained settings images taken by our system and images of the same field of view taken by a high-end, commercial microscope (Nikon TIE) Equipped with a high quality objective of similar numerical aperture (20x 0.4 NA)
We report a slide-scanning microscope that is modular, open-source, fully automated, cost-effective, and made of off-the-shelf components
Summary
As health care costs rise, there is an increasing interest in finding lower-cost methods of providing high-quality care. Substantial effort has been expended in developing portable and easy-to-use instrumentation that can replace costly and centralized medical instruments [1,2]. This is relevant for rural [3] and low-resource settings [4], as well as combat settings and disaster areas [5], where centralized and well-equipped medical facilities may not be accessible to a large portion of the population. One approach to automating this process is whole-slide imaging (WSI). In WSI, large areas of a sample are imaged and digitized for later review by pathologists either on-site or at remote
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