Radiometer Medical Aps

Michael Taagaard

Peter Aage Frischauf

Flemming Aas

The invention relates to a multiple-use device (), wherein a fluid sample, in particular a blood sample, may enter a measuring chamber () of the device () via an inlet (), flow through the measuring chamber () and leave the measuring chamber () via an outlet (). The device () comprises an inner wall surface () defining an outer limit of the measuring chamber () The inner wall surface () comprises a surface structure () which is adapted to control a propagation of a flow front () of the fluid sample () in a direction (x) while the fluid sample () enters into the measuring chamber () via the inlet (), while the fluid sample () flows through the measuring chamber (), and while the fluid sample () leaves the measuring chamber () via the outlet (). The shape of the surface structure () may be selected depending on a flow speed of the flow front () of the fluid sample (), wherein the flow speed may be applied by a difference in pressure between the inlet () and the outlet () of the measuring chamber ().

Device for accommodating a fluid sample

The present invention relates in one aspect to a method of detecting a contaminant in a measurement chamber () of a sample analyzer (). The sample analyzer () comprises an optical sensor with a sensor layer () comprising a luminophor (), wherein the sensor layer () has a sensor surface () forming an interface to the measurement chamber (). The method comprises steps of: filling the measurement chamber with a fluid sample; applying a stimulus to the luminophor in the sensor layer; detecting luminescence emitted from the luminophor in the sensor layer in response to the stimulus as a function of time; obtaining a time sequence of measurement values for the detected luminescence; based on the time sequence, determining an actual value of a first parameter and an actual value of a second parameter, wherein one of the first and second parameters is sensitive to a change in refractive index across the interface between the sensor layer and the measurement chamber, and wherein the other one of the first and second parameters is not sensitive to said change in refractive index across the interface between the sensor layer and the measurement chamber; developing an expected value for the second parameter based on the actual value of the first parameter; comparing the expected value for the second parameter to the actual value of the second parameter; and determining the presence (or absence) of a contaminant based on the comparison. In a further aspect, a sample analyzer configured for detecting contaminants in the measurement chamber using embodiments of the above method is provided.

Method and sensor for detecting presence or absence of a contaminant

A method of detecting a clot in a measurement chamber of a liquid sample analyzer, the liquid sample analyzer comprising one or more analyte sensors, each one of the one or more analyte sensors being arranged for measuring a physical parameter for a respective analyte in a liquid sample in the measurement chamber, wherein detection is performed after conclusion of a rinsing procedure with a primary solution (Cal2) having a pre-determined primary composition with a primary level of the analyte, the method comprising the steps of: (a) at least partly filling the measurement chamber with a secondary solution (Rinse/Cal1) having a pre-determined secondary composition with a respective secondary level for each of the analytes, wherein the respective secondary level is different from the respective primary level; (b) immediately after filling the measurement chamber with the secondary solution (Rinse/Cal1), obtaining an initial measurement result by each of the one or more analyte sensors; (c) flushing the measurement chamber with the secondary solution (Rinse/Cal1); (d) after a time delay with respect to the initial measurement result, obtaining a subsequent measurement result by each of the one or more analyte sensors; (e) comparing the respective initial and subsequent measurement results; and (f) determining presence or absence of a clot in the measurement chamber based on the comparison.

Method of detecting the presence or absence of a clot in a liquid sample analyzer

The invention relates to a method of detecting a clot in a measurement chamber of a liquid sample analyzer, wherein the liquid sample analyzer comprises at least two analyte sensors, a first analyte sensor, for measuring a first analyte in a liquid sample, and one or more second analyte sensors, for measuring one or more second analytes in the liquid sample in the measurement chamber, the method comprising the steps of, (a) at least partly filling the measurement chamber with a known solution having a composition comprising the first analyte at a pre-determined level, and the second one or more analytes at pre-determined levels, (b) obtaining a first sequence of measurement results by the first analyte sensor, and simultaneously obtaining a second sequence of measurement results by the second, one or more analyte sensors, (c) determining a change of the first sequence of measurement results, (d) determining a change of the second one or more sequence of measurement results, (e) comparing the change of the first sequence of measurement results with the second sequence of measurement results, (f) determining presence or absence of a clot in the measurement chamber based on said comparison.

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Hoersholm, Denmark

Michael Taagaard