Microdroplet dispensing methods for a medical diagnostic device
First Claim
1. A method for preparing a medical diagnostic reagent device, comprising the steps of a) providing a non-absorbent substrate, having on its surface at least one hydrophilic target area, b) providing from a nonimpact print head onto a point within the target area a pulsed stream of microdroplets of a diagnostic reagent liquid. c) moving the stream relative to the substrate, and d) repeating steps b) and c) at least enough times to provide a substantially uniform layer of the liquid over the target area.
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Abstract
A medical diagnostic device has a non-absorbent substrate that has a hydrophilic target area on which a reagent is deposited by non-impact printing of microdroplets. During deposition, the device is moved relative to the stream of microdroplets to form a substantially uniform reagent layer on the substrate. The device is particularly well adapted for measuring blood coagulation times. In a preferred embodiment, coagulation times are determined by monitoring the optical transmission of light through the target area as an applied blood sample interacts with the reagent.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for preparing a medical diagnostic reagent device, comprising the steps of
a) providing a non-absorbent substrate, having on its surface at least one hydrophilic target area, b) providing from a nonimpact print head onto a point within the target area a pulsed stream of microdroplets of a diagnostic reagent liquid. c) moving the stream relative to the substrate, and d) repeating steps b) and c) at least enough times to provide a substantially uniform layer of the liquid over the target area.
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11. A diagnostic reagent device for measuring an analyte concentration or characteristic of a biological fluid, including a non-absorbent substrate comprising
a) a sample application area for accepting a sample of the biological fluid for analysis and b) a predetermined hydrophilic reagent area, onto which has been applied, by nonimpact printing, a diagnostic reagent liquid that interacts with the sample to cause in the sample a physically-measurable change that can be related to the analyte concentration or characteristic of the fluid.
Specification