Flow imaging cytometer

A flow imaging cytometer comprising:

• a flow cell through which a specimen solution containing cells to be detected is caused to flow in a state that a sheath liquid surrounds said specimen solution said cells including a cell of interest;
• a light source for irradiating a flow zone of the specimen solution in said flow cell with light;
• image pick-up means for picking up a still image of the cell of interest in the specimen solution;
• and
• image processing means for executing desired data processing based upon a set of image data obtained from said image pick-up means;
• wherein fluorescent images of the cells which flow through said flow cell are picked up by said image pick up means and analyzed;
• and
• the irradiating light from said light source is light for exciting fluorescence in the cells;
• the flow imaging cytometer further comprising:
• reflecting means positioned at an opposite side with respect to a light entrant side of the excitation light for reflecting excitation light transmitted by said flow cell during irradiation of said specimen solution and for transmitting the fluorescence emitted by the cells in order to redirect said transmitted excitation light to said specimen solution again so as to enhance the fluorescent images of the cells by the redirected excitation light;
• detecting means for detecting the fluorescence light, which is emitted by the cells in said flow cell, separately of said image pick-up means;
• and
• decision control means for detecting a cell of interest based upon the detection signal from said detecting means, determining whether the cell of interest requires operation of said image pick-up means, and generating a prescribed control signal for pick-up of the image when the cell of interest requires pick-up of the image.