In acquisition of spatial transcriptomic information, a plurality of images representing a common field of view of a sample are obtained and registered. Each pixel of the registered images is decoded by identifying a code word from a plurality of code words in a code book that provides a best match to data values in the plurality of registered images for the pixel. For each code word identified as a best match and each pixel, whether a bit ratio for an image word for the pixel meets a threshold for the code word is determined. The image word is formed from the data values in the plurality of registered images for the pixel. For at least one pixel that is determined to meet the threshold, a gene associated with the code word is determined. Pixels for which the bit ratio does not meet the threshold are screened.