Fully automated analysis method with optical system for blood cell analyzer

• US 5,812,419 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Mehta, Suresh N., Chupp, Vernon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEMPER, MELANIE A
• Application Number:
  US08/509,650
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 364/496, 364/497, 364/498, 364/499, 364/500, 422/67, 356/39, 356/40, 356/42, 356/73, 356/337
• US Class Current: 702/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/014 Reticulocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/018 Platelets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1413 Hydrodynamic focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/109 with two horizontal degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10056 Microscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30024 Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

A method of performing a first analysis and a second analysis on a single blood sample obtained with a single blood draw from a patient with an automated analyzer includes the steps of supplying the single blood sample obtained with the single blood draw from the patient to the automated analyzer. A memory on the automated analyzer containing a software routine is automatically accessed. The software routine is useful to adapt an optical system on the automated analyzer to correspond to the first analysis and the second analysis. The optical system on the automated analyzer is automatically adapted with the software routine in real time to correspond to the first analysis. The first analysis is automatically performed with the automated analyzer. The optical system on the automated analyzer is automatically adapted with the software routine in real time to correspond to the second analysis. The second analysis is automatically performed with the automated analyzer.

Claims

1. A fully automated cell analysis method of performing a first cell analysis and a second cell analysis on a single blood sample obtained with a single blood draw from a patient with a fully automated cell analyzer comprising a flow cell required to perform the first cell analysis and the second cell analysis, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying the single blood sample obtained with the single blood draw from the patient to the fully automated cell analyzer;

(b) automatically accessing a memory on the fully automated cell analyzer containing a software routine, the software routine being useful to adapt an optical system optically connected with the flow cell on the fully automated cell analyzer to correspond to the first cell analysis and the cell second analysis;

(c) automatically adapting the optical system on the fully automated cell analyzer with the software routine in real time to correspond to the first cell analysis;

(d) automatically performing the first cell analysis with the fully automated cell analyzer by passing at least one cell in a first portion of the single blood sample obtained with the single blood draw from the patient through the flow cell;

(e) automatically adapting the optical system on the fully automated cell analyzer with the software routine in real time to correspond to the second cell analysis; and

(f) automatically performing the second cell analysis with the fully automated cell analyzer by passing at least one cell in a second portion of the single blood sample obtained with the single blood draw from the patient through the flow cell.

2. A fully automated method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first cell analysis is a reticulocyte test.

3. fully automated method as defined in claim 1 wherein the second cell analysis is a complete blood count.

4. A fully automated method as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the automatically adapting step (c) and (e) comprises at least one of setting a gain level, setting a threshold level, determining a data analysis routine and determining a data output form.

5. A fully automated method as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the automatically adapting steps (c) and (e) comprises at least one of automatically selecting a desired filter and automatically selecting a desired optical detector.