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Title: Microfabricated instrument for tissue biopsy and analysis

Abstract

A microfabricated biopsy/histology instrument which has several advantages over the conventional procedures, including minimal specimen handling, smooth cutting edges with atomic sharpness capable of slicing very thin specimens (approximately 2 .mu.m or greater), micro-liter volumes of chemicals for treating the specimens, low cost, disposable, fabrication process which renders sterile parts, and ease of use. The cutter is a "cheese-grater" style design comprising a block or substrate of silicon and which uses anisotropic etching of the silicon to form extremely sharp and precise cutting edges. As a specimen is cut, it passes through the silicon cutter and lies flat on a piece of glass which is bonded to the cutter. Microchannels are etched into the glass or silicon substrates for delivering small volumes of chemicals for treating the specimen. After treatment, the specimens can be examined through the glass substrate. For automation purposes, microvalves and micropumps may be incorporated. Also, specimens in parallel may be cut and treated with identical or varied chemicals. The instrument is disposable due to its low cost and thus could replace current expensive microtome and histology equipment.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Pleasanton, CA
  2. Walnut Creek, CA
  3. Berkeley, CA
  4. Livermore, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
872664
Patent Number(s):
5985217
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
microfabricated; instrument; tissue; biopsy; analysis; histology; advantages; conventional; procedures; including; minimal; specimen; handling; smooth; cutting; edges; atomic; sharpness; capable; slicing; specimens; approximately; micro-liter; volumes; chemicals; treating; cost; disposable; fabrication; process; renders; sterile; ease; cutter; cheese-grater; style; design; comprising; block; substrate; silicon; anisotropic; etching; form; extremely; sharp; precise; cut; passes; lies; flat; piece; glass; bonded; microchannels; etched; substrates; delivering; treatment; examined; automation; purposes; microvalves; micropumps; incorporated; parallel; treated; identical; varied; due; replace; current; expensive; microtome; equipment; silicon substrates; cutting edge; silicon substrate; glass substrate; fabrication process; anisotropic etching; cutting edges; tissue biopsy; /422/83/

Citation Formats

Krulevitch, Peter A, Lee, Abraham P, Northrup, M Allen, and Benett, William J. Microfabricated instrument for tissue biopsy and analysis. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Krulevitch, Peter A, Lee, Abraham P, Northrup, M Allen, & Benett, William J. Microfabricated instrument for tissue biopsy and analysis. United States.
Krulevitch, Peter A, Lee, Abraham P, Northrup, M Allen, and Benett, William J. Fri . "Microfabricated instrument for tissue biopsy and analysis". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872664.
@article{osti_872664,
title = {Microfabricated instrument for tissue biopsy and analysis},
author = {Krulevitch, Peter A and Lee, Abraham P and Northrup, M Allen and Benett, William J},
abstractNote = {A microfabricated biopsy/histology instrument which has several advantages over the conventional procedures, including minimal specimen handling, smooth cutting edges with atomic sharpness capable of slicing very thin specimens (approximately 2 .mu.m or greater), micro-liter volumes of chemicals for treating the specimens, low cost, disposable, fabrication process which renders sterile parts, and ease of use. The cutter is a "cheese-grater" style design comprising a block or substrate of silicon and which uses anisotropic etching of the silicon to form extremely sharp and precise cutting edges. As a specimen is cut, it passes through the silicon cutter and lies flat on a piece of glass which is bonded to the cutter. Microchannels are etched into the glass or silicon substrates for delivering small volumes of chemicals for treating the specimen. After treatment, the specimens can be examined through the glass substrate. For automation purposes, microvalves and micropumps may be incorporated. Also, specimens in parallel may be cut and treated with identical or varied chemicals. The instrument is disposable due to its low cost and thus could replace current expensive microtome and histology equipment.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1999},
month = {1}
}