Miniaturized cytometer for detecting multiple species in a sample

• US 7,911,617 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2009
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Padmanabhan, Aravind, Fritz, Bernard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Sang
• Application Number:
  US12/572,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 356432-444, 356/246, 356 27- 28, 356 39- 41, 356/317, 356/334, 356336-337, 356/450, 356/453, 356/491, 436/52, 436/63, 436/73, 436/523, 436/531, 422/82.08
• US Class Current: 356/450
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150274 Manufacture or production processes or steps for blood sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150351 Caps, stoppers or lids for sealing or closing a blood collection vessel or container, e.g. a test-tube or syringe barrel caps for bottles or containers in general B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• 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: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1404 Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1434 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/011 with lysing, e.g. of erythrocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/012 Red blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0238 Single particle scatter
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1027 Determining speed or velocity of a particle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 : Counting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5094 : for blood cell populations red blood cells G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/569 : for microorganisms, e.g. protozoa, bacteria, viruses
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/085 : Flow Injection Analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/24 : Nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance or other spin effects or mass spectrometry

Abstract

A system for scattered light and simultaneous multi-color (e.g., greater than sixteen colors) fluorescence light detecting, and for analyzing, classifying and identifying biological particles and items of interest. A sample to be tested may be entered in a disposable microfluidic cartridge which in turn is insertable in a portable, hand-holdable, or wearable miniaturized cytometer instrument. The present system may be incorporated in the cytometer instrument. It may have significant application relative to biological warfare, environmental substances, the medical field and other fields.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a fluidic channel disposed in a removable miniature cartridge;

a light source arrangement proximate to the channel;

an interferometer proximate to the channel; and

a detector arrangement proximate to the interferometer, the detector arrangement situated in a miniaturized package; and

wherein the cartridge is credit-card sized.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the detector arrangement has a plurality of detectors which are positioned relative to the interferometer to detect light of various intensity values; and

the various intensity values are processed to obtain spectral content of the light.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is a flow cytometer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is a hematology analyzer.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the detector arrangement further comprises a light scatter detector proximate to the channel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel is for a core stream of blood cells.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel is for a core stream of biological particles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a low autofluorescence non-glass material.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the non-glass material is a cyclic olefin copolymer based plastic.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises characteristics of good sensitivity, quantification of agent concentration, high specificity of detection of bacteria, viruses, spores, toxins and/or other like particles, automated sample preparation, very small handheld unit size and weight, and/or low power consumption.