Early warning of changes in health and robustness using narrowly forward scattered light to track ease of morphological changes of blood cells

A method of generating a tracking value to assist in determining morphological changes in a suspension of blood cells, the method comprising:

• obtaining the suspension of blood cells from a blood sample, the suspension of blood cells having a cells per volume concentration;
• directing light having an incident light central axis at a group of blood cells within the suspension of blood cells;
• determining a first scattered light intensity angular distribution;
• applying a challenge agent to the suspension of blood cells to morphologically change blood cells in the suspension of blood cells, wherein application of the challenge agent produces a challenge agent and blood suspension mixture;
• directing light having the incident light central axis at a suspended group of blood cells within the challenge agent and blood suspension mixture;
• determining a second scattered light intensity angular distribution;
• and
• calculating a tracking value based on the first scattered light intensity angular distribution and the second scattered light intensity angular distribution;
• wherein the tracking value is obtained by the equation T=Σi=0i=4|Fi−Si|,
• with Fi representing first scattered light intensities in the first scattered light intensity angular distribution detected at angles i where i represents a forward scattered light angular range,
• with Si representing second scattered light intensities in the second scattered light angular distribution detected at angles i where i represents the forward scattered light angular range, and
• with the summation being over angles i where i is between 0 and 4 degrees.