Flowcell systems and methods for particle analysis in blood samples
AssigneeIris International, Inc.
InventorsBart J. Wanders, Thomas H. Adams, Gregory A. Farrell, Warren Groner, Xiaodong Zhao
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to apparatus, systems, compositions, and methods for analyzing a sample containing particles. In some aspects the system comprises an analyzer which may be a visual analyzer. In one aspect, this disclosure relates to a particle imaging system comprising a flowcell through which a sample containing particles is caused to flow, and a high optical resolution imaging device which captures images for image analysis of samples. Other compositions, methods and features of this disclosure are disclosed herein.
Claims24
A method for imaging particles using a particle analysis system configured for combined viscosity and geometric hydrofocusing, the particles included within a blood fluid sample, the method comprising:
- injecting a sheath fluid along a flowpath of a flowcell of the particle analyzer, the sheath fluid having a viscosity that is different from a viscosity of the blood fluid sample;
- injecting the blood fluid sample from a sample fluid injection tube at a flow rate into the flowing sheath fluid within the flowcell so as to provide a sample fluid stream having a first thickness adjacent the injection tube, the flowpath of the flowcell having a decrease in flowpath size such that thickness of the sample fluid stream decreases from the initial thickness to a second thickness adjacent an image capture site;
- imaging a first plurality of the particles from the sample at the image capture site of the flowcell;
- wherein the decrease in flowpath size is defined by a proximal flowpath portion having a proximal thickness, and distal flowpath portion having a distal thickness less than the proximal thickness,
- wherein a downstream end of the sample fluid injection tube is positioned distal to the proximal flowpath portion,
- wherein the viscosity difference between the sheath and blood fluid samples, in combination with the decrease in flowpath size and the flow rate of the sample, is effective to deliver cells in the sample from the sample fluid injection tube to the image capture site in four seconds or less, while a viscosity agent in the sheath fluid retains viability of cells leaving structure and content of the cells intact when the cells extend from the sample fluid stream into the flowing sheath fluid as the cells travel from the sample fluid injection tube to the image capture site.
A particle analysis system that performs combined viscosity and geometric hydrofocusing for imaging particles in a blood fluid sample, the system comprising:
- a flowcell having a flowpath configured for transmitting a flow of sheath fluid, the sheath fluid having a viscosity that is different from a viscosity of the blood fluid sample;
- a sample fluid injection system in fluid communication with the flowpath and configured for injecting the sample into the flowing sheath fluid within the flowcell so as to provide a sample fluid stream having a first thickness adjacent the injection tube, the flowpath of the flowcell having a decrease in flowpath size such that thickness of the sample fluid stream decreases from the initial thickness to a second thickness adjacent an image capture site;
- an image capture device aligned with the image capture site so as to image a plurality of the particles from the sample fluid at the image capture site of the flowcell;
- and
- a processor coupled with the sample fluid injector system and the image capture device, the processor configured to initiate injection of the sample fluid into the flowing sheath fluid at a sample flow rate, such that the viscosity difference between the sheath and blood fluid samples, in combination with the decrease in flowpath size and the flow rate of the sample, is effective to deliver cells in the sample from the sample fluid injection tube to the image capture site in four seconds or less, while a viscosity agent in the sheath fluid retains viability of cells leaving structure and content of the cells intact when the cells extend from the sample fluid stream into the flowing sheath fluid as the cells travel from the sample fluid injection tube to the image capture site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.