Apparatus, method, system for the determination of the aggregation rate of red blood cells
AssigneeAlcor Scientific, Inc.
InventorsPeter Sacchetti, Francesco Frappa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for the determination of the aggregation rate of red blood cells. More specifically, the subject technology is used to determine the aggregation rate of red blood cells, and other parameters related to these, such as viscosity, deformability, elasticity, density, in the field of in vitro medical analyses, using optical systems after or during vibration for red blood cell disruption and redistribution. Once the detected light variation stops decreasing (e.g., a minimum is reached), complete disruption is accomplished for evaluation of the blood sample.
Claims21
1-14. (canceled)
An apparatus for determining the aggregation rate of red blood cells, comprising:
- an optical receiver positioned to detect light from a blood sample portion comprising red blood cells that have aggregated;
- and
- a main controller coupled to the optical receiver for recording an aggregation rate of the red blood cells of the blood sample portion for a predetermined time based upon detected light variation.
A method of measuring the disruption rate and the aggregation rate of a sample of red blood cells, the method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a blood sample portion comprising aggregated red blood cells;
- delivering the blood sample portion into a reading cell container;
- using a disruption mechanism to disrupt the aggregates in the blood sample portion within the reading cell container to distribute and re-suspend the red blood cells;
- passing light from a light emitter source into the blood sample portion within the reading cell container;
- receiving and detecting light emitted from the reading cell container at an optical receiver;
- recording, at a main controller, a disruption rate of the red blood cell aggregates within the blood sample portion based upon the light variation;
- and
- recording an aggregation rate of the blood sample portion for a predetermined time based upon detected light variation.
An apparatus for determining an aggregation rate of red blood cells comprising:
- a reading cell container configured to receive a blood sample portion comprising aggregated red blood cells;
- an optical receiver positioned to detect light from the blood sample portion while the blood sample portion is in the reading cell container;
- a disruption mechanism connected to the reading cell container to disrupt the aggregated red blood cells within the blood sample portion while the blood sample portion is in the reading cell container;
- and
- a main controller configured to record an aggregation rate of the red blood cells of the blood sample portion based upon detected light variation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.