Reagents, systems and methods for analyzing erythrocytes and platelets
AssigneeAbbott Laboratories
InventorsJiong Wu, Ji Lin
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Abstract
Aspects of the invention include hematology analysis reagents, systems and methods that can be used to preserve blood cell morphology and integrity as well as provide sample integrity and optical clarity to facilitate optical analysis of blood samples. In some embodiments, the reagents include a non-phosphate organic buffer and a sphering surfactant. The pH and osmolality of the reagents may be adjusted to desired ranges. In addition, the reagents can be simply diluted with de-ionized water prior to use.
Claims22
A method of performing an optical mean corpuscular volume (MCV) analysis of red blood cells (RBCs) with an automated hematology analyzer, the method consisting of:
- (a) diluting a sample of whole blood with a hematology analysis reagent, wherein the hematology analysis reagent comprises:
- a non-phosphate organic buffer;
- a sphering surfactant;
- and
- an osmolality adjustment component,
- wherein the hematology analysis reagent does not include a phosphate buffered reagent and wherein the hematology analysis reagent has sufficient optical clarity to facilitate optical analysis of the sample;
- (b) incubating the diluted sample from step (a) for a period of time ranging from 1 second to 30 seconds;
- (c) providing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the hematology analyzer to perform steps (d) through (g):
- (d) deliver the incubated sample from step (b) to a flow cell of the hematology analyzer;
- (e) direct light from an excitation source towards the flow cell for exciting the incubated sample from step (d) as the sample traverses the flow cell;
- (f) collect a plurality of light scatter signals from the excited sample;
- and
- (g) analyze the plurality of light scatter signals collected in step (f) to determine the MCV of red blood cells in the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.