Idexx Laboratories, Inc.

Harold C Flynn, Jr

John W Roche

W Peter Hansen

James Russell

Peter W Hansen

Michelle L Coleman

Marcus F Julian

James W Russell

A hydraulic system for a flow cytometry having a reservoir for a sheath solution, at least one syringe connected to the reservoir, the at least one syringe being driven by a motor, a single HGB module connected on an inlet side to a sample inlet which is connected to the flow cell by a single flow path passing through the HGB module, a single flow cell connected to the HGB module and at least one syringe on an inlet side of the flow cell, and to a waste container on an outlet side of said flow cell.

Flow-cytometry-based hematology system

The present invention is a flow cytometry-based hematology system useful in the analysis of biological samples, particularly whole blood or blood-derived samples. The system is capable of determining at least a complete blood count (CBC), a five-part white blood cell differential, and a reticulocyte count from a whole blood sample. The system preferably uses a laser diode that emits a thin beam to illuminate cells in a flow cell and a lensless optical detection system to measure one or more of axial light loss, low-angle forward scattered light, high-angle forward scattered light, right angle scattered light, and time-of-flight measurements produced by the cells. The lensless optical detection system contains no optical components, other than photoreactive elements, and does not include any moving parts. Finally, the system uses a unique system of consumable reagent tubes that act as reaction chambers, mixing chambers, and waste chambers for the blood sample analyses. The consumable tubes incorporate reference particles, which act as internal standards to ensure that the dilutions made during processing of the samples have been carried out correctly, and to ensure that the instrument is working properly. The present invention also relates to methods for using the system.

Flow cytometry-based hematology system

The high numerical aperture flow cytometer of the present invention includes a flow cell and a laser input. The laser input emits a beam of light that is oriented substantially orthogonally to the flow of blood cells through the flow cell such that laser light impinges upon the blood cells as they pass through the flow cell. A portion of the beam from the laser input that impinges upon the blood cells in the flow cell is scattered at a substantially right angle to the beam of laser input (&ldquo;right angle scatter&rdquo;). A second portion of the beam from the laser input that impinges upon the cells in the flow cell is scattered at a much lower angle than 90&deg;. This scatter is termed forward scatter light&rdquo; and is collected on two distinct photo detectors, that represent 'forward scatter low' (FSL) which has an angle of from about 1&deg; to about 3&deg;, and 'forward scatter high' (FSH) which has an angle of from about 9&deg; to about 12&deg; from the orientation of the original beam from laser input. A third photo detector is placed in between these two forward scatter detectors, that is axial with the impinging laser light. This detector measures axial light loss, or light extinction (EXT) which is the sum of all the light that is absorbed and scattered by the blood cells. A right angle scatter light detector is oriented to receive the previously mentioned right angle scatter light. A forward scatter light detector is oriented to capture the previously mentioned forward scatter light oriented different angles from the beam of the laser input.

High numerical aperture flow cytometer and method of using same

Growing community of inventors

Scarborough, ME, United States of America

Harold C Flynn, Jr