Detecting and using light representative of a sample

Inventors

Fine, Alan Marc • Macaulay, Hershel • Kreplak, Laurent

Assignees

Alentic Microscience Inc

Abstract

An imaging device includes light sensitive locations that are separately sensitive to light received at a surface with respect to a portion of a sample associated with the surface, the light sensitive locations having a resolution of 5 microns or smaller. There is a device to associate the portion of the sample with the surface. The imaging device and a distance of the portion of the sample to the light sensitive locations are such that usable useful image of the portion of the sample can be acquired directly by operation of the imaging device.An imaging device includes light sensitive sources that are separately able to deliver light with respect to a portion of a sample associated with the surface. The light source locations having a resolution of 5 microns or smaller. There is a device to associate the portion of the sample with the surface. The imaging device and a distance of the portion of the sample to the light source locations are such that a useful image of the portion of the sample can be acquired directly by operation of the imaging device.An imaging device can include both the light source locations and the light source locations and the light sensitive locations.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a microscope apparatus that receives a whole blood sample of a person or animal on a surface, where the whole blood sample comprises blood cells of two or more types. The apparatus includes a two-dimensional array of light-sensitive elements configured and arranged to be sensitive to light at the surface, and using at least one image captured by the array, the apparatus generates a blood count of blood cells in the whole blood sample.

A key structural aspect is the sample space defined by a movable lid. The movable lid comprises projections extending from a lower surface of the movable lid, and the projections define a height of the sample space in which the whole blood sample is arranged on the surface. The image capture can be constrained to a near-field distance relative to the two-dimensional array of light-sensitive elements.

The invention also includes image-derived blood-cell analysis for generating the blood count. The blood-cell differentiation can be based on morphometric shape information derived from the at least one image, using blood-cell shapes of two or more cell types to differentiate those cell types. Additionally or alternatively, the blood count can be generated using cytoplasm color differences and/or the presence of nuclei in the blood cells of the two or more types.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims: one for a microscope apparatus and one for a blood count method. Across the independent claims, there are three main inventive feature groups: receiving a whole blood sample and defining a sample space with a movable lid having projections, capturing at least one image using a two-dimensional array of light-sensitive elements configured to be sensitive to light at the surface, and generating a blood count from the captured image(s).

Across the independent claims, the invention centers on a microscope apparatus or method that places a whole blood sample on a surface, forms a sample space using a movable lid with projections that define a sample height, captures at least one image using a two-dimensional array of light-sensitive elements sensitive to light at the surface, and generates a blood count from the captured image(s).

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications