AUTOMATED SLIDE PREPARATION SYSTEM FOR THE CLINICAL LABORATORY

An automated device has been developed to prepare a wide variety of cy tology preparations. Using the device, cells collected in suspension a re mildly dispersed and transferred to a glass slide using filter-tran sfer technology. The cell density on the slide is controlled by the in strument. A companion product, the solution used in specimen transport and preparation, provides long-term preservation of diagnostic cells while lysing red blood cells. The overall process yields clean, unifor m samples with better visualization of the diagnostic cells. The use o f a disposable filter prevents sample-to-sample contamination. Collect ion of the sample in solution makes it possible to produce multiple sl ides from one sample. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.