Systems and methods for detecting the presence of a selected volume of material in a sample processing device

• US 9,725,762 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diasorin Italia SPA
• Original Assignee: DiaSorin S.p.A.
• Inventors: Ludowise, Peter D., Whitman, David A., Armantrout, Kyle C., Exner, Maurice, Jacky, Lucien A. E., Tabb, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): Xu, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/881,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20160040213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0441 for samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing sample processing devices. The system can include a sample processing device comprising a detection chamber, a motor configured to rotate the sample processing device about an axis of rotation, and an optical module operatively positioned relative to the sample processing device and configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber of the sample processing device. The method can include rotating the sample processing device about an axis of rotation, and determining whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber, while rotating the sample processing device. In some embodiments, determining whether a selected volume of material is present can be performed by optically interrogating the detection chamber for an optical property of the material.

Claims

1. A system for processing sample processing devices, the system comprising:

a sample processing device comprising a detection chamber;

a motor configured to rotate the sample processing device about an axis of rotation;

an optical module operatively positioned relative to the sample processing device and configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber of the sample processing device while the motor rotates the sample processing device about the axis of rotation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module includes a plurality of optical channels, and wherein at least one of the optical channels is configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber of the sample processing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sample processing device further includes

an input chamber, and

a channel positioned to fluidly couple the input chamber and the detection chamber.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sample processing device further includes a valve positioned in the channel, wherein when the valve is closed, the input chamber and the detection chamber are not in fluid communication via the channel, and wherein when the valve is open, the input chamber and the detection chamber are in fluid communication via the channel.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the input chamber includes a metering chamber configured to meter a selected amount of a sample to the detection chamber.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is operatively positioned relative to the sample processing device via a gantry, and wherein the optical module is configured to be positioned at a plurality of gantry positions, relative to the axis of rotation, and is further configured to optically interrogate the detection chamber at a plurality of gantry positions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of gantry positions correspond to different radial positions in the detection chamber, relative to the axis of rotation.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein a first gantry position is positioned radially outwardly of a second gantry position.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical module is operatively positioned relative to the sample processing device via a gantry, and wherein the optical module is configured to be positioned at a predetermined gantry position, relative to the axis of rotation, and is further configured to optically interrogate the detection chamber at the predetermined gantry position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the detection chamber includes an inner boundary located nearest the axis of rotation, and wherein the optical module is configured to optically interrogate the detection chamber at a gantry position proximate the inner boundary of the detection chamber.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is configured to optically interrogate the detection chamber to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is configured for multiplex fluorescence detection.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber by

emitting an electromagnetic signal into the detection chamber, and

detecting backscattered reflection of the electromagnetic signal.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber by

emitting an electromagnetic signal into the detection chamber, and

detecting fluorescence emitted by a material in the detection chamber.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is configured to determine whether a selected volume of material is present in the detection chamber by

emitting an electromagnetic signal into the detection chamber at a first wavelength, and

detecting electromagnetic signals emitted from the detection chamber at a second wavelength, after emitting an electromagnetic signal into the detection chamber at a first wavelength.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical module is further configured to determine an amount of material that is present in the detection chamber.