Method and apparatus for analyzing individual cells or particulates using fluorescent quenching and/or bleaching

An apparatus for analyzing a blood sample, comprising:

• a chamber adapted to quiescently hold the sample;
• an illuminator operable to illuminate at least a portion of the sample containing one or more first constituents and one or more second constituents, along one or more fluorescent excitation wavelengths in a constant manner for a period of time;
• an image dissector operable to image the at least a portion of the sample at discrete points in time during the period, and produce image signals representative of fluorescent emissions from the first constituents and the second constituents for each discrete point in time;
• and
• an analysis device adapted to determine one or more fluorescent emission values for each of the first constituents and second constituents quiescently disposed within the sample using the image signals for each discrete point in time, and a rate of change for the fluorescent emission values between the discrete points in time for each of the first and second constituents, and adapted to identify the first constituents and the second constituents using the determined rate of change of the fluorescent emission values for each of the first and second constituents.