Optical blood hemostatic analysis apparatus and method
AssigneeMedical Devices, Inc.
InventorsBrian S. Bull, Ralph A. Korpman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for optically measuring the functional capacity of blood platelets and the blood clotting system. The invention includes a mechanical specimen-handling apparatus with one or more optical end-point detectors. The apparatus incubates a small quantity of diluted whole blood with added solid or liquid reagents at body temperature, and mixes the blood via rocking and rotational motions so as to expose the blood uniformly to the reagents. The optical end-point detectors then measure the activity of platelets within the blood specimen and the clotting cascade. Several intermediate measures are also available.
Claims60
An apparatus for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid including whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent, the apparatus including:
- a. means for agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- b. means for directing a light beam through the layer of coating fluid of at least one coated surface of the container;
- c. means for detecting a change in the light beam after the light traverses the at least one coated surface of the container;
- d. means, coupled to the detecting means, for discriminating discrete clumps of material sticking to the surface of the container from the coating of fluid on the container surface, such discrete clumps of material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
An apparatus for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid including whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent, the apparatus including:
- a. means for agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- b. means for directing a light beam through the layer of coating fluid of at least one coated surface of the container;
- c. means for detecting a change in the light beam after the light traverses the at least one coated surface of the container;
- d. means, coupled to the detecting means, for discriminating a relatively opaque layer of fibrous material on the container surface from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, such fibrous material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
An apparatus for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid including whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent, the diluent thinning the whole blood by admixture, the apparatus including
- a. means for agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container;
- b. means for directing a light beam through the specimen fluid in the container;
- c. means for detecting changes in the light beam after it traverses the specimen fluid;
- and
- d. electronic frequency filter means for discriminating discrete clumps of material in the specimen fluid from the initial state of the specimen fluid, such discrete clumps of material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
An apparatus for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid including whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent, the apparatus including:
- a. means for agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- b. means for directing a light beam through the layer of coating fluid of at least one coated surface of the container;
- c. first means for detecting a change in the light beam after the light beam traverses the at least one coated surface of the container;
- d. means, coupled to the first detecting means, for discriminating (a) discrete clumps of material sticking to the surface of the container from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, and (b) a relatively opaque layer of fibrous material on the container surface from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, such discrete clumps and fibrous material being representative of characteristics of the specimen fluid;
- e. means for directing a light beam through the specimen fluid in the container;
- f. second means for detecting the light beam after it traverses the specimen fluid;
- g. means, coupled to the second detecting means, for discriminating discrete clumps of material in the specimen fluid from the initial state of the specimen fluid, such discrete clumps of material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
A method for preparing a specimen fluid mixture for optically measuring characteristics of the specimen fluid, comprising the step of:
- mixing whole blood, a diluent, and a disclosure reagent capable of adhering platelets, in a transparent container to form a hydrophilic mixture.
A method for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing the specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid comprising whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent;
- b. agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- c. using an optical detector to discriminate discrete clumps of material sticking to the surface of the container from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, such discrete clumps of material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
A method for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing the specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid comprising whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent;
- b. agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- c. using an optical detector to discriminate a relatively opaque layer of fibrous material on the container surface from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, such fibrous material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
A method for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing the specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid comprising whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent, the diluent thinning the whole blood by admixture;
- b. agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container;
- c. using an optical detector and an electronic frequency filter to discriminate discrete clumps of material in the specimen fluid from the initial state of the specimen fluid, such discrete clumps of material being representative of a characteristic of the specimen fluid.
A method for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing the specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid comprising whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent;
- b. agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- c. using an optical detector to discriminate discrete clumps of material sticking to the surface of the container from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, and to discriminate a relatively opaque layer of fibrous material on the container surface from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, such discrete clumps and fibrous material being representative of characteristics of the specimen fluid.
A method for optically measuring characteristics of a specimen fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing the specimen fluid in a transparent container, the specimen fluid comprising whole blood, diluent, and disclosure reagent;
- b. agitating the specimen fluid in the transparent container, such that a substantial portion of the interior surface of the container is coated with a layer of the fluid;
- c. using an optical detector to discriminate (a) discrete clumps of material sticking to the surface of the container from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, and (b) a relatively opaque layer of fibrous material on the container surface from the coating layer of fluid on the container surface, and (c) discrete clumps of material in the specimen fluid from the initial state of the specimen fluid, such discrete clumps and fibrous material being representative of characteristics of the specimen fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.