US 4,400,353 AGranted

Electro-optical system for use in evaluating immunological reactions

AssigneeAkro-Medic Engineering, Inc.

InventorsPeter M. Meserol, Jesse L. Acker

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Abstract

The method of this invention comprises introducing the fluid biological test specimen and the reagent (e.g., latex spheres) into a reaction zone in the image cell, evenly mixing and incubating the mixture thereby forming agglutinated particles. After transilluminating the reaction zone and imaging the light beams transmitted therethrough on the image sensor, the dark areas formed on the surface of the image sensor are measured, preferably electronically. This procedure is repeated for a reference specimen and the total dark imaged area is compared with the total dark area obtained for the unknown specimen for qualitative determination. In order to obtain the concentration of the immunoreactive component in the unknown specimen, the foregoing procedure is repeated for at least two specimens with known antibody concentrations, one of which may be a negative control. The concentration of the immunoreactive component of the unknown sample is then determined from the total dark imaged area thereof and the relationship between the total dark imaged areas of the known specimen and their respective concentrations.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An electro-optical system for use in evaluating immunological reactions, said system comprising:

(a) an image cell comprising a pair of opposed planar surfaces, each surface having a generally circular groove such that when said surfaces are bonded together, said grooves form a reaction zone confined between said planar surfaces, one of said grooves including an aperture through which a biological fluid and a reagent therefore are introduced into said reaction zone,
(b) a light source from which beams of radiant energy impinge on said reaction zone,
(c) an image sensor having a photosensitive surface consisting of photosensitive elements, said image sensor being electrically connected to a display means,
(d) an imaging lens for focusing the light transmitted through said reaction zone of said image cell on the surface of said image sensor wherein dark imaged area appear corresponding to agglutinated particles in said reaction zone,
(e) focusing means operably connected to said imaging lens for adjusting the focus plane in said reaction zone, and,
(f) a threshold comparator and particle counter for rejecting dark imaged areas smaller than predetermined threshold levels and counting dark imaged areas greater than said threshold level.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/097,196Filed 26 Nov 1979 · division
Priority: 23 Sep 1977
Granted: 23 Aug 1983
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01N 33/5302
Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor: apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
G01N 21/5911
Densitometers: of the scanning type
G01N 35/00029
Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor:…
G01N 21/03
Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation: cuvette constructions

Family

Serial835,996Parent of this division · filed 23 Sep 1977
US 4,197,088 AParent of this division
US 4,400,353 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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