QS I
1.2. Introduction
So that the QS I system is able to reliably allocate the samples to the individual quality levels during
routine operation, a serum classifier must initially be established on the basis of the sample spectrum
of a laboratory.
The program 'Serum TeachIn' provides the user with support when creating and maintaining the serum
classifier. The serum classifier is the part of the QS I software which is responsible for determining the
quality of the processed samples. Reference images for the individual quality levels (these are referred
to as classes) are assigned to corresponding areas for this. The reference images in their entirety are
referred to as learning samples in specialist terminology.
Serum images used for the learning sample required are created by QS I. At the same time, the
system segments a rectangular serum window from the recorded camera image, which allows the user
to view as large as possible a section of the serum present. The size and quality of this window
depends on several parameters such as the type and manufacturer of the tube, the material properties,
overlap by barcode labels or the amount of serum present.
When later, during routine operation, a serum sample is processed by QS I, its serum window is
ascertained. Afterwards, the QS I software compares the color values of this window with the reference
values, established by 'Serum TeachIn', and determines the quality of the serum on the basis of this
comparison.
The quality is expressed as a class for this. The abbreviation is often cited when referring to these
classes.
Class Abbreviation
good quality G
lightly haemolytic H1
strongly haemolytic H2
icteric I
lipemic L
Table 1
Classes, which are given the attributes lightly or strongly, are referred to as 'subclasses'. Thus, for
example, H1 and H2 are subclasses of the class 'haemolytic'.
Normally, several images of each sample are saved. In addition to the unedited images taken by the
camera of each sample, several other images resulting from image processing are saved.
Up to three subfolders are created for each day:
Folder name Content File format
Original Images showing the entire sample tube JPEG
ROI Images of the serum window found Windows Bitmap
Debug Images taken during the installation phase or for error analysis of
the system are saved in this folder. These images remain
unchanged from how they were recorded by the camera.
JPEG und
proprietary
formats
Table 2
NOTICE
If new sample tubes run through the system, the images are automatically saved to the 'ROI' folder.
Only those the images are to be used for 'TeachIn' which have been newly created during the
preparatory stage.
Serum TeachIn V2.4 – 10/2011 10/24