Aperio GT 450 DX User’s Guide, Revision B © Leica Biosystems Imaging, Inc. 2022
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This chapter provides an overview of the Aperio GT 450 DX Scanner.
Theory of Operation
The Aperio GT 450 DX scanner contains an automated slide loader subsystem which is designed to process standard 1” X 3”
(2.54 cm x 7.62 cm) microscope slides.
The scanner automatically loads the slides from the slide racks that the technician loaded into the scanner carousel. The
slides are moved onto the scanning stage based on the automated processing and queueing of the racks.
Once the slide is on the stage, the imaging process begins with capturing the macro image, automatically detecting tissue,
automatic placement of initial focus points (and reference stripe location), capturing label image (including any barcode), and
the image acquisition is initiated.
The tissue finding and scanning processes are automated without any need for the user to manipulate the slides being
processed. If there is a need based on the quality review of the scanned image or tissue finder results, the device has the
capability to reinitiate the scan with a different user selected mode (entire slide scan). The device images the slide using
transmitted light from the Koehler Light Source through the specimen to the optical path (including the objective, tube
lens, apertures, and mirrors). At this point the light travels to the line scan camera where the imaging data is captured and
processed. The Aperio GT 450 DX scanner acquires images in stripes, as the motion subsystem moves the slide across
the Koehler and optical path. These stripes of data are processed in the control VPU and sent to a database for use in later
pathology workflow steps. Once the slide has finished scanning, it is automatically removed from the stage, returned to the
slide rack and the next slide is loaded.
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Aperio GT 450 DX Overview
