Millimeter wave flow cytometer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for microwave flow cytometry, comprising:
- (a) Means to isolate cells in a fluid and to hydrodynamically focus said cells single-file through an interaction zone of dimension comparable to a single cell;
(b) Generating means to generate, direct and closely couple incident microwave energy of predetermined frequency and polarization into said interaction zone;
(c) Receiving means to receive waves closely coupled to said interaction zone which have been affected by a cell in said interaction zone, with at least one of said generating or receiving means being rotated in at least a first plane;
(d) Measuring means to read values from said generating and receiving means, said measuring means evaluating complex S-parameters of each cell in said interaction zone as a function of frequency and as a function of the angular displacements of the rotated means in at least said first plane;
(e) Processing means receiving data from said measuring means, said data being used to classify cells in said interaction zone as member of a plurality of reference groups, said reference groups being predefined by prior tests upon known samples.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for millimeter wave flow cytometry of a cell stream hydrodynamically focused in a zone of interaction with a millimeter wave source and complex ratiometric receiver. The cell stream is characterized by complex power wave scattering parameters as a function of frequency, scattering angle and polarization. These parameters train a signal processor to sort specimen cells into one of a plurality of predetermined reference groups in accordance with a minimum number of normal cell types and functional states.
91 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for microwave flow cytometry, comprising:
-
(a) Means to isolate cells in a fluid and to hydrodynamically focus said cells single-file through an interaction zone of dimension comparable to a single cell; (b) Generating means to generate, direct and closely couple incident microwave energy of predetermined frequency and polarization into said interaction zone; (c) Receiving means to receive waves closely coupled to said interaction zone which have been affected by a cell in said interaction zone, with at least one of said generating or receiving means being rotated in at least a first plane; (d) Measuring means to read values from said generating and receiving means, said measuring means evaluating complex S-parameters of each cell in said interaction zone as a function of frequency and as a function of the angular displacements of the rotated means in at least said first plane; (e) Processing means receiving data from said measuring means, said data being used to classify cells in said interaction zone as member of a plurality of reference groups, said reference groups being predefined by prior tests upon known samples. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of cytometric evaluation of isolated cells, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) Isolating said cells in a fluid and hydrodynamically focusing said cells single-file in an interaction zone of dimensions comparable to a single cell; (b) Generating and closely coupling incident microwave energy of a predetermined frequency into said interaction zone; (c) Receiving closely coupled waves affected by each cell in the interaction zone while mechanically rotating at least one of the generating or receiving wave directions in at least one plane; (d) Measuring at least one complex S-parameter based on readings from the generated and received values as a function of frequency and as a function of the angular position for said mechanical rotation; (e) Processing data generated during said measuring step to classify each cell under analysis as a member of one of predetermined reference groups, said reference groups being previously defined by applying measuring steps to known calibrating samples of cells and fluids.
-
Specification