Method, kit and system for imaging a blood sample

A method for imaging a blood sample, the method comprising:

• introducing a cell suspension, onto a base surface of a carrier, wherein the cells are human cells comprising at least 75% red blood cells and at least a portion of the cells are suspected of being infected with a plasmodium parasite selected from the group consisting of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale), Plasmodium malariae (P. malariae), and Plasmodium knowlesi (P.knowlesi);
• mixing the cells with one or more stains, the one or more stains including at least one fluorescent stain;
• allowing the cells in the cell suspension to settle on the base surface of the carrier, such as to form a monolayer of cells on the base surface of the carrier;
• and
• acquiring at least one microscope image of at least a portion of the monolayer of cells, the at least one microscope image being obtained by a microscope set to Depth Of Field (DOF) that is not more than 20% of a vertical height of the cell suspension when settled on the base surface, the acquiring of the at least one microscope image comprising acquiring a fluorescent image that is configured to facilitate detecting staining with the fluorescent stain.

A system for imaging a blood sample, the blood sample including human cells that include at least 75% red blood cells, at least a portion of the cells being suspected of being infected with a plasmodium parasite selected from the group consisting of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale), Plasmodium malariae (P. malariae), and Plasmodium knowlesi (P.knowlesi), the blood sample including a blood cell diluting agent, the system comprising:

• one or more stains configured to be mixed with the blood sample, the one or more stains comprising at least one fluorescent stain;
• a blood sample preparing unit configured:
• to receive the blood sample, and
• to facilitate forming therefrom a blood cell suspension, that is such that the cell suspension forms a monolayer of the cells when allowed to settle on a base surface of a carrier;
• a microscope image acquisition unit configured to acquire at least one image of the blood cell suspension when on the base surface of the carrier, the at least one image including at least one fluorescent image that is configured to facilitate detecting of staining the fluorescent stain;
• a controller configured to drive the microscope image acquisition unit to acquire the at least one microscope image of the cell suspension using a microscope set to a Depth Of Field (DOF) that is not more than 20% of a vertical height of the cell suspension when settled on the base surface.

A system for imaging a blood sample comprising red blood cells and at least one blood cell diluting agent, the system comprising:

• a blood sample preparing unit comprising a carrier having a base surface, the blood sample preparing unit being configured:
• to receive the blood sample, and
• to facilitate forming therefrom a blood cell suspension, that is such that the cell suspension forms a monolayer of the cells when allowed to settle on the base surface of the carrier, by allowing the cells in the cell suspension to settle on the base surface of the carrier for a period of time that is at least 1 second per micrometer (μm) of a vertical height of the cell suspension when on the base surface;
• a microscope image acquisition unit configured to acquire at least one image of the blood cell suspension when on the base surface of the carrier;
• a controller being configured to drive the microscope image acquisition unit to acquire at least one microscope image of the cell suspension by a microscope set to a Depth Of Field (DOF) that is not more than 20% of a vertical height of the cell suspension when settled on the base surface.