Combined optical imaging and electrical detection to characterize particles carried in a fluid
First Claim
1. An interrogation apparatus, comprising:
- structure configured and arranged to interact with a removable microfluidic cassette to obtain an optically-based signal related to optical particle characterization of a plurality of particles carried by a fluid that can be urged to move through a channel in said cassette, said optically-based signal being extracted from a optical-interrogation location disposed along said channel;
structure configured and arranged to interact with said removable cassette to obtain an electrically-based signal related to at least one of;
identification of said cassette;
a location of a fluid boundary that can be urged to move through said channel in said cassette;
orcharacterization of one or more particles carried by said fluid; and
a display element on which a result from processing one or more of said optically-based signal and said electrically-based signal may be shown;
said cassette comprising;
a cap layer disposed to form a fluid-resistant cover on one side of a channel segment, at least a portion of said cap layer being substantially transparent in a through-the-thickness direction;
a sample-receiving orifice disposed in fluid communication with said channel segment;
a vent disposed in fluid communication with said channel segment at a location disposed downstream of said sample-receiving orifice; and
an interrogation layer disposed to form a fluid-resistant cover on the other side of said channel segment, at least a portion of said interrogation layer being substantially transparent in a through-the-thickness direction, wherein;
said interrogation layer carries a plurality of surface electrodes disposed to contact fluid carried inside a channel comprising said channel segment; and
a portion of said cap layer, said channel, and said interrogation layer cooperate to form a substantially transparent window through the thickness of said cassette at said optical-interrogation location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for, and a method of, characterizing a plurality of particles carried by a fluid that can be urged to move through a channel in a microfluidic cassette by combining data analysis of a first signal that is optically-based, and data analysis of a second signal that is electrically-based. Optically-based information is typically obtained by a digital image sensor. Electrically-based information can be obtained by direct measurement of impedance; sometimes in an arrangement operating under the Coulter principle. Data provided by exemplary characterization includes at least one of: volumetric cell count; viability percentage or ratio; particle type; and a particle size histogram.
73 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An interrogation apparatus, comprising:
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structure configured and arranged to interact with a removable microfluidic cassette to obtain an optically-based signal related to optical particle characterization of a plurality of particles carried by a fluid that can be urged to move through a channel in said cassette, said optically-based signal being extracted from a optical-interrogation location disposed along said channel; structure configured and arranged to interact with said removable cassette to obtain an electrically-based signal related to at least one of; identification of said cassette; a location of a fluid boundary that can be urged to move through said channel in said cassette;
orcharacterization of one or more particles carried by said fluid; and a display element on which a result from processing one or more of said optically-based signal and said electrically-based signal may be shown; said cassette comprising; a cap layer disposed to form a fluid-resistant cover on one side of a channel segment, at least a portion of said cap layer being substantially transparent in a through-the-thickness direction; a sample-receiving orifice disposed in fluid communication with said channel segment; a vent disposed in fluid communication with said channel segment at a location disposed downstream of said sample-receiving orifice; and an interrogation layer disposed to form a fluid-resistant cover on the other side of said channel segment, at least a portion of said interrogation layer being substantially transparent in a through-the-thickness direction, wherein; said interrogation layer carries a plurality of surface electrodes disposed to contact fluid carried inside a channel comprising said channel segment; and a portion of said cap layer, said channel, and said interrogation layer cooperate to form a substantially transparent window through the thickness of said cassette at said optical-interrogation location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification