Coulter International Corp.

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Ted W Britton

Jing Li

Yi Li

Jiuliu Lu

Craig R Veiner

Marshall Donnie Graham

Eric Malcolm Grace

Min Zheng

Harvey J Dunstan

Shuliang Zhang

Maritza Lavernia

Jeffrey L Rose

John Geoffrey Harfield

Valentin Quesada

Gerry Graham

James S King

A method of correction of particle interference to hemoglobin measurement of a blood sample on a hematology analyzer is provided. The method includes mixing an aliquot of a blood sample with a lytic reagent to lyse red blood cells and forming a sample mixture; measuring absorbance of the sample mixture at a predetermined wavelength of a hemoglobin chromogen formed in the sample mixture, and obtaining an apparent hemoglobin concentration of the blood sample using obtained absorbance; measuring concentration and size of cellular particles remaining in the sample mixture; removing contribution of the cellular particles to the apparent hemoglobin concentration using the concentration and the size of the cellular particles to obtain a corrected hemoglobin concentration of the blood sample; and reporting the corrected hemoglobin concentration of the blood sample.

Method of correction of particle interference to hemoglobin measurement

Methods and systems substantially eliminate data representative of coincident events from particle analyzer data. A fluid sample containing particles for analysis is prepared. Using an electrical or optical measurement device, signals are sensed. Each signal corresponds to events detected in a sub-sample of the fluid sample flowing through a measurement region in the particle analyzer. The existence of coincidence in the events is determined based on measuring a peak and first and second points of each of the signals. The first and second points have a signal value corresponding to a predetermined portion of the peak. Results data based upon the coincident events and non-coincident events is generated. The results data is then analyzed. In various examples, the method is applicable to a variety of particle types, and may be implemented on different types of particle analyzers including hematology analyzer and flow cytometers.

Detecting and handling coincidence in particle analysis

A method for differentiating and enumerating nucleated red blood cells in a blood sample is described. The method includes the steps of lysing red blood cells of a blood sample with a lytic reagent, measuring nucleated blood cells by DC impedance measurement in a non-focused flow aperture, differentiating nucleated red blood cells from other cell types, and reporting nucleated red blood cells in the blood sample. The method further includes subtracting nucleated red blood cells and other interference materials from the count of remaining blood cells, and reporting a corrected white blood cell count of the blood sample. Additionally, the method further includes measuring spectrophotometric absorbance of the sample mixture at a predetermined wavelength of a hemoglobin chromogen formed upon lysing the blood sample, and reporting hemoglobin concentration of the blood sample.

Method for measurement of nucleated red blood cells

A specimen carrier comprises a unitary structure for receiving and retaining a specimen container in an upright orientation. Such unitary structure is defined by a pedestal having upper and lower platforms connected by a stem. Extending upwardly from the upper platform is a plurality of rigid members which support a plurality of opposing flexible fingers adapted to engage and press upon the side wall of a specimen container received by the carrier. Preferably, the specimen carrier of the invention has a chamber formed therein for housing a pre-programmed, programmable or otherwise radio-frequency (RF) identification tag in the form of an RF transponder. Upon being energized by a suitable RF field provided by an RF reader antenna or sensor positioned adjacent the carrier's intended path of movement, the tag transmits a unique identification code, such code being received by the antenna or sensor and decoded by the reader.

Specimen carrier for automated transport system and method and apparatus for identifying same

A Coulter apparatus comprises a volumeter assembly containing a conduit through which a particle suspension is caused to pass simultaneously with an electrical current. In preferred embodiments the volumeter assembly comprises at least one traditional Coulter conduit wafer, i.e., a dielectric wafer containing a central circular conduit, and at least two electrically conductive collars. The conductive collars approximate the conduit diameter in thickness, are uninsulated, and are attached to opposite sides of the conduit wafer, the openings being congruent with the Coulter conduit. The Coulter conduit in the dielectric wafer and the openings in the conductive collars collectively form a hydrodynamically smooth conduit, in which the electric and hydrodynamic fields of the Coulter conduit are amended. The electric field is shaped to confine the particle-sensitive zone of the novel volumeter conduit within the conduit's physical boundaries, thereby decreasing the zone's coincidence volume. The hydrodynamic field is caused to develop quasi-laminar flow, thereby increasing the proportion of particles per second transiting the zone's electrically homogeneous areas. The conductive collars are provided with electrical connections and also function as electrodes, used either in a passive mode to allow potential-sensing of particle characteristics or in an active mode in response to such particle characteristics. The volumeter assembly substantially eliminates need to compensate for the effects of particles either transiting the sensitive zone on trajectories near the conduit wall or recursing through the exit portion of the particle-sensitive zone.

Potential-sensing method and apparatus for sensing and characterizing particles by the Coulter principle

Growing community of inventors

Sunrise, FL, United States of America

Ted W Britton