# US 2019/0170733 A1 · Sample analyzer and computer program product

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- Number: US 2019/0170733 A1
- Document ID: US20190170733A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/180,590
- Filed: 2018-11-05
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-01
- Assignees: Sysmex Corporation
- Applicants: Sysmex Corporation
- Inventors: Takaaki NAGAI; Noriyuki NARISADA; Daigo FUKUMA; Masanori IMAZU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170733A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/5091: {for testing the pathological state of an organism}
- G01N 15/12: by observing changes in resistance or impedance across apertures when traversed by individual particles, e.g. by using the Coulter principle
- G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream}
- G01N 33/5094: {for blood cell populations (red blood cells G01N33/80)}
- G01N 33/721: {Haemoglobin}
- G01N 33/726: {Devices}
- G01N 2015/012: {Red blood cells}
- G01N 2015/014: {Reticulocytes}
- G01N 2015/016: {White blood cells}
- G01N 2015/1486: {Counting the particles}
- Y10T 436/11: Automated chemical analysis
- Y10T 436/113332: with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A sample analyzer prepares a measurement sample from a blood sample or a body fluid sample which differs from the blood sample; measures the prepared measurement sample; obtains characteristic information representing characteristics of the components in the measurement sample; sets either a blood measurement mode for measuring the blood sample, or a body fluid measurement mode for measuring the body fluid sample as an operating mode; and measures the measurement sample prepared from the blood sample by executing operations in the blood measurement mode when the blood measurement mode has been set, and measuring the measurement sample prepared from the body fluid sample by executing operations in the body fluid measurement mode that differs from the operations in the blood measurement mode when the body fluid measurement mode has been set, is disclosed. A computer program product is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for analyzing a sample by a sample analyzer that comprises a plurality of chambers each configured to receive a sample selectively comprising (i) a blood sample or (ii) a body fluid sample, and a plurality of detectors each configured to interrogate cells in the sample and output measurements of the cells in the sample, the method comprising;
displaying a selection screen arranged to allow a user to select either the blood sample or the body fluid sample for measurement, wherein the body fluid sample contains body fluid other than blood, which comprises one of cerebrospinal fluid, thoracic fluid, abdominal fluid, fluid collecting in the cardiac sac, synovial fluid, dialysate from peritoneal dialysis, or intraperitoneal rinse;
in response to selection of the blood sample for measurement, executing a blood measuring algorithm defining a sequence of operations for sensing cells in the blood sample, wherein executing the blood measuring algorithm comprising reconfiguring the sample analyzer into a blood sample analyzer operable to: introduce the blood sample into one of the plurality of chambers; operate one of the plurality of detectors to sense cells in the introduced blood sample; and derive, from measurements from said one of the plurality detectors, a digitally analyzable form of measurements on the cells in the introduced blood sample; and
in response to selection of the body fluid sample for measurement, executing a body fluid measuring algorithm, different from the blood measuring algorithm, which defines a sequence of operations for sensing cells in the body fluid sample, wherein executing the body fluid measuring algorithm comprises reconfiguring the sample analyzer into a body fluid sample analyzer operable to: introduce the body fluid sample into said one or another of the plurality of chambers; operate said one or another of the plurality of detectors to sense cells in the introduced body fluid sample; and derive, from measurements from said one or another of the plurality of detectors, a digitally analyzable form of measurements on the cells in the introduced body fluid sample.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
executing the blood measuring algorithm comprises operating the blood sample analyzer to sense the cells in the introduced blood, sample for a first measurement time,
executing the body fluid measuring algorithm comprises operating the body fluid sample analyzer to sense the cells in the introduced body fluid sample for a second measurement time, wherein the second measurement time is longer than the first measurement time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising: washing said one of the plurality of chambers; and introducing the body fluid sample into said one of the plurality of chambers after washing to reduce a carryover effect on the measurement of the cells in the body fluid sample.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the body fluid measuring algorithm comprises analyzing the digitally analyzable form of measurements of the cells in the introduced body fluid sample and counting a type of cells of interest among the cells in the introduced body fluid sample.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein counting a type of cells of interest comprises counting at least one of mono-nucleated cells or poly-nucleated cells among the cells in the introduced body fluid sample.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein executing the body fluid measuring algorithm further comprising calculating a relative amount of the at least one of mono-nucleated cells or poly-nucleated cells.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein counting a type of cells of interest comprises counting at least one of neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil or basophil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sample analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising:
introducing a cell-free sample into said one of the plurality of chambers for measurement by said one of the plurality of detectors, wherein the cell-free sample having no cells contained in the cell-free sample;
running the cell-free sample through said one of the plurality of chambers and said one of the plurality of detectors; and
analyzing the digitally analyzable form of measurements of the cell-free sample and counting cells carried over into the cell-free sample from a test sample previously measured.