Differentiating Between Abnormal Sample Viscosities and Pipette Clogging During Aspiration
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorMichael Kaplit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for differentiating between a liquid sample having clogs therein and a liquid sample having an abnormally elevated viscosity during a liquid aspiration process by relating the ratio between the maximum negative pressure during aspiration and an equilibrium pressure prior to dispensation to viscosity.
Claims4
A method for differentiating between a clogged condition and an elevated viscosity condition of a patient's liquid sample during an aspirating and dispensing process comprising:
- determining the profile of a pressure curve representative of said aspirating and dispensing process on said liquid sample;
- calculating the ratio of a peak pressure value found in an aspirating portion of said profile to an equilibrium pressure value prior to a dispensing portion of said profile;
- and
- determining the viscosity of said patient's liquid sample from said ratio.
A method for differentiating between a clogged condition and an elevated viscosity condition of a patient's liquid sample during an aspirating and dispensing process comprising:
- determining the profile of a pressure curve representative of said aspirating and dispensing process on said liquid sample;
- calculating the ratio of a peak pressure value found in an aspirating portion of said profile to an equilibrium pressure value prior to a dispensing portion of said profile;
- determining the viscosity of said patient's liquid sample from said ratio;
- and,
- determining if the viscosity of said patient's liquid sample is greater than a predetermined minimum viscosity value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.