METHOD OF SCANNING FOR IMPROVED DYNAMIC RANGE

A genetic sample is analyzed by providing a gene probe array including a plurality of genetic probes having different receptors. The sample is processed to include at least one fluorescently tagged ligand. The array is hybridized by exposing the probes to the processed sample such that ligands can bind to complementary receptors. Composite data having a data dynamic range is obtained from the array using an optical scanner which has a scanner dynamic range that is smaller than the data dynamic range. The scanner optically irradiates and scans the probes and detects fluorescent emissions at a first wavelength which is selected such that the scanner produces valid first data in a low intensity portion of the data dynamic range and is in saturation in at least part of a high intensity portion of the data dynamic range. The scanner then optically irradiates and scans the probes with light and detects fluorescent emissions at a second wavelength which is selected such that the scanner produces valid second data in a high intensity portion of the data dynamic range and is in cutoff in at least part of a low intensity portion of the data dynamic range. A scale factor correlation function is calculated between the first data and the second data, and is applied to convert the second data to have a same scale factor as the first data. The first data for the first portion of the data dynamic range is combined with the converted second data for the second portion of the data dynamic range to obtain the composite data.