Non-invasive blood analyzer and method using the same

A non-invasive method for analyzing blood comprising the steps of:

• relatively fixing an imaging device and a part of a living body to stabilize a focus of the imaging device with respect to a detection region in the part;
• applying light along a first path to the detection region in a blood vessel contained in said part;
• imaging the detection region from light reflected from the detection region along a second path nearly exclusive of the first path, thereby forming an image of the detection region;
• and
• processing the formed image to analyze a number of blood cells contained in said detection region.

A non-invasive blood analyzer comprising:

• light application means for applying light toward a region of a blood vessel contained in a part of a living body;
• light blocking means for blocking a first portion of the applied light, a second portion of the applied light travelling to the region along a first path;
• imaging means for receiving the second portion of the applied light, subsequent to reflection from the region and travel along a second path nearly exclusive of the first path, and for capturing an image of the region;
• stabilizing means for stabilizing a focus of the imaging means with respect to the region;
• and
• analysis means for analyzing characteristics of blood cells contained in the region by processing the captured image.

A non-invasive method for analyzing blood comprising the steps of:

• applying light toward a region of a blood vessel contained in the living body;
• blocking a first portion of the applied light, a second portion of the applied light travelling to the region along a first path;
• stabilizing a focus of an imaging device with respect to the region;
• imaging the detection region in the imaging device, upon receipt of the second portion of the applied light subsequent to reflection from the region and travel along a second path nearly exclusive of the first path, to form an image of the detection region;
• and
• processing the formed image to analyze characteristics of blood cells contained in the detection region.