Optical method and apparatus for diagnosing human spermatozoa
First Claim
1. A method of measuring the sperm count in a specimen of sperm comprising:
- a. exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic light,b. measuring the intensity of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen, and thenc. determining the sperm count using the intensity measurement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The sperm count of a specimen of sperm is measured by exciting the specimen with a beam of substantially monochromatic light, then measuring the intensity of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted or the scattered light from the specimen, and then determining the sperm count using the intensity measurements. The motitily of a specimen of sperm is determined by exciting the specimen with a beam of substantially monochromatic polarized light, then measuring the intensity of the parallel and perpendicular components of the intrinsic native fluorescene emitted or the intensity of the scattered light from the specimen at a predetermined wavelength; and then determining the motitily using the two intensity measurements with parallel and perpendicular polarizations.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of measuring the sperm count in a specimen of sperm comprising:
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a. exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic light, b. measuring the intensity of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen, and then c. determining the sperm count using the intensity measurement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus for measuring the sperm count of a specimen of sperm comprising:
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a. means for exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic light, b. means for measuring the intensity of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen, and c. means for determining the sperm count using the intensity measurement. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of determining the motility of a specimen of sperm comprising:
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a. exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic polarized light, b. measuring the intensity of the parallel and perpendicular components of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen, at a predetermined wavelength, and then c. determining the motility using the two intensity measurements.
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12. Apparatus for determining the motility of a specimen of sperm comprising:
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a. means exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic polarized light, b. means measuring the intensity of the parallel and perpendicular components of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen at predetermined wavelength, and c. means determining the motility using the two intensity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of determining the sperm count in a specimen, the sperm being obtained from a sample of semen which has been centrifuged to remove the plasma, washed and then resuspended, the method comprising:
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a. exciting the specimen with a beam of monochromatic light, b. measuring the intensity of the intrinsic native fluorescence emitted from the specimen, and then c. determining the sperm count using the intensity measurement.
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15. A method of determining the motility of a specimen of sperm comprising:
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a. exciting the specimen with a beam of polarized light, b. measuring the intensity of the parallel and perpendicular components of the light scattered from the specimen, and then c. determining the motility using the two intensity measurements.
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Specification