Lateral flow and flow-through bioassay devices based on patterned porous media, methods of making same, and methods of using same

An assay device comprising:

• a porous, hydrophilic medium in the form of a substantially planar sheet,
• a pattern of fluid-impervious barriers inserting through the thickness of the sheet thereby to define boundaries of plural assay regions each comprising a channel region defining a flow path within the sheet along which fluids pass in a direction parallel to the plane of the sheet by capillary action, and
• one or more assay reagents disposed in fluid communication with respective assay regions which alone or together provide a visible color change or intensity in the device of a clinically relevant concentration of an analyte, which visible color change or intensity can be digitized to reproduce an image of said visual color change or intensity which also is clinically relevant.