Flow-cytometry-based hematology system

• US 20060203226A1
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Roche, John W., Russell, James W., Flynn, Harold C. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1434 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/147 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/011 with lysing, e.g. of erythrocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/014 Reticulocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/018 Platelets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 Counting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1493 Particle size
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1095 for supplying the samples to flow-through analysers for a specific analyser see relevant groups, e.g. under G01N15/00, G01N21/00, G01N27/00, G01N30/00, H01J49/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/063 Setting decision thresholds using feedback techniques only

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A hydraulic system for a flow cytometer, comprising:

a reservoir for a sheath solution;

at least one syringe connected to said reservoir, said at least one syringe being driven by a motor;

a single HGB module, said HGB module being connected on an inlet side to a sample inlet;

said sample inlet being connected to said flow cell by a single flow path passing through said HGB module;

a single flow cell, said single flow cell being connected to said HGB module and said at least one syringe on an inlet side of said flow cell, and to a waste container on an outlet side of said flow cell.

2. A hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said sample inlet includes a needle effective to pierce a stopper on a blood collection tube and aspirate a sample in said tube.

3. A hydraulic system according to claim 1, comprising at least two syringes connected to said reservoir, each of said at least two syringes being driven by a motor.

4. A hydraulic system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of valves to control flow through said hydraulic system.

5. A hydraulic system according to claim 4, wherein the number of said valves is not greater than five.

6. A method of flow cytometry comprising the steps of:

placing first and second tubes in first and second tube slots provided on a flow cytometry system having a hydraulic system formed therein, the first tube containing a blood sample to be tested and the second tube containing at least one type of particle adapted for at least one of count quantification checks and optical standardization;

mixing the contents of the second tube sufficient to substantially homogenize said contents;

withdrawing a portion of the blood sample from the first tube into the hydraulic system of said flow cytometry system;

depositing the withdrawn portion of the blood sample and a volume of sheath fluid into said second tube;

mixing the contents of the second tube after the depositing step;

sampling a portion of the mixed contents of the second tube to form a slug sample;

evaluating the slug sample of the mixed contents of the second tube in an HGB module for spectral absorption at a plurality of wavelengths of light;

advancing said slug sample within said hydraulic system to a flow cell assembly; and

interrogating the individual cells of the slug sample by light sources emitted from an optical assembly.

7. The method of flow cytometry according to claim 6 wherein said hydraulic sytem of said flow cytometry system includes a plurality of valves to control flow through said hydraulic system.

8. The method of flow cytometry according to claim 6 wherein the step of withdrawing a portion of the blood sample from the first tube includes piercing a septum covering the first tube with a pneumatic needle and operating at least one valve in said hydraulic system to facilitate aspiration of the blood sample from the first tube.

9. The method of flow cytometry according to claim 6 further comprising the step of depositing the slug sample into a waste container provided in said flow cytometry system.