Tissue specimen holder

摘要

A tray or holder for tissue specimens, especially of excised tissue, such as biopsied specimens, is used with a confocal imaging system. The tray may be disposable after imaging of the specimen carried therein or may archive the specimen. A window supports the specimen. Clamps mounted inside the tray restrain the tissue. A compliant bag is mounted outside the tray on one side of a window of the tray on which the specimen is disposed. During imaging the specimen is immersed in a liquid contained in the tray having an index of refraction which closely matches the index of refraction of the tissue. The bag also contains an index matching liquid preferably having the same index as the liquid in the tray. Selecting an immersion liquid, which equals the refractive index of the near surface tissues, minimizes wavefront distortion which may result from an effectively corrugated surface of the specimen.

主权项

1. A device for supporting excised tissue during imaging of said excised tissue having a refractive index comprising:
a window having a surface for imaging through upon which excised tissue is locatable; at least one member for restraining said excised tissue against said window to keep at least one surface of the excised tissue against said window when said excised tissue is located upon said surface of said window; and a liquid medium disposed with the excised tissue when located upon said surface of said window, said liquid medium having an index of refraction selected in accordance with the index of refraction of said at least one surface of said excised tissue so that said immersion medium minimizes differences in optical path length of an illumination beam when transmitted through said at least one surface of the excised tissue and extending below said at least one surface of the excised tissue to at least one location in the excised tissue.