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Semen analysis

a technology of semen and safflower, applied in the field of safflower analysis, can solve the problems of large statistical errors, high labor intensity, and high work requirements, and achieve the effect of simplifying analysis and counting, and facilitating analysis and counting

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-10-25
M E S MEDICAL ELECTRONICS SYST
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a method for measuring TSC (total sperm concentration) and MSC (motile sperm concentration) in semen samples. The method uses a transparent container and a synchronically pulsed light source and photodetector to measure the optical absorbance of the sample. The method is not dependent on image analysis and can measure both TSC and MSC simultaneously. The invention also provides a sampling device for optically analyzing a biological fluid, which can measure TSC and MSC without the need for dilution. The method and device can provide an objective measure of TSC and MSC, and can also determine the average velocity of sperm cells. The invention has applications in animal and human semen analysis."

Problems solved by technology

This work requires high expertise, is very labor intensive and if done according to standard protocols, takes at least an hour per test.
Manual assessments are known to be quite inaccurate due to numerous sources of error.
The large statistical errors due to the limited number of sperm analyzed.
This itself is an error introducing procedure due to the tediousness and time consuming nature of the task.
As a result of the above methodology, semen analysis test results are globally recognized to be highly subjective, inaccurate and poorly reproducible.
Although these systems have attempted to replace manual analysis and establish industry accepted standards, they have not succeeded in either of these objectives.
The first objective could not be achieved because analysis results continue to be dependent on manual settings and on the different makes of equipment.
Replacing routine manual analysis is totally impracticable because the systems are extremely expensive, complex and difficult to use.
The SMI parameter, although useful in some applications, was not significantly accepted by the medical community as a viable alternative to the conventional microscopic semen measurements.
This technology however, has not and could not be adopted for human use for the following reasons:
(3) TSC in humans is a parameter, which in itself, is totally insufficient for fertility investigations, and microscopic analysis is in any case required for all the other data in the standard semen analysis protocol.
These factors (high expertise and sophisticated environment) along with the prohibitive cost of such instrumentation, rule out for all practical purposes their application for routine semen analysis.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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example 1

[0081] As stated above, the automatic optical measurement of TSC in human semen samples as opposed to animal samples has been hampered in the past due to the low concentration of sperm cells. This, together with the high background electronic and optical noise due e.g. to seminal plasma variability has prevented the application of methods routinely used in veterinary fertility analysis. The method of the present invention comes to overcome these obstacles by combining the following features: [0082] (i) the sample is placed in a transparent container between a synchronically pulsed light source and a synchronically enabled photodetector. The use of a synchronically pulsed light source and photodetector enables the distinction of sperm cells at low concentrations over electronic noise levels. [0083] (ii) measuring the optical absorbance of the sample in the range of 800-1000 nm. It has been found that measuring the absorbance in the near infrared region provides the optimal conditions...

example 2

[0088]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a sampling device 20 according to the invention, for use in measuring semen. The device comprises an anterior optical viewing section 22, a posterior aspirating section 24 and an intermediate air exclusion section 26.

[0089] The optical viewing section 22 comprises a thin measuring chamber 28 and a thick measuring chamber 30. The thin chamber is used to measure MSC and / or for visualization, while the thick chamber is used to measure TSC. In this way, multiple parameters can be measured simultaneously using the same sampling device and sampling step.

[0090] The aspirating section 24 comprises a cylinder 32 and a plunger 34 slidingly inserted therein. These parts match each other and function as in a standard syringe. This section serves for the aspiration of the semen sample into the measuring chambers

[0091] The air exclusion section 26 comprises a separating valve 36 for separation of the measuring chambers from the cylinder volume after f...

example 3

[0102] As mentioned above, determination of the MSC according to the invention requires the generation of a voltage signal which is proportional to the MSC. FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a system for semen analysis capable of generating such a signal.

[0103] An optical capillary 100 having a rectangular cross-section is used to hold a semen sample 102. The capillary 100 is illuminated with an incident light beam 105 produced by a light source 110. The capillary 100 has an optical path of 300 μm through which the light beam 105 passes. After passing through the capillary, the scattered beam 106 is collimated by a round aperture 108 having a diameter of 70 μm. The collimated beam 107 impinges upon a photodetector 115. The photodetector 115 produces an analog voltage signal 120 proportional to the intensity of the beam 107. The analog signal varies in time due to the motility of the sperm in the semen sample 102, as shown for example in FIG. 8. The analog signal 120 is inputted to an ...

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Abstract

A method for measuring the total sperm concentration (TSC) in a sample is described and includes: (i) placing the sample in a transparent container between a synchronically pulsed light source and a photodetector; and (ii) measuring the optical absorbance of the sample in the range of 800-1000 nm, the TSC of the sample being proportional to the absorbance. Also described is a sampling device for use in optically analyzing a biological fluid, a method for measuring motile sperm concentration (MSC) in a semen sample, a method of determining the average velocity (AV) of sperm cells and a system for analyzing semen quality including means for measuring TSC, means for measuring MSC; and a video visualization system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to semen analysis. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] According to WHO statistics, 8-10% of all married couples consult medical professionals after failing to conceive. Over 40 million couples are currently being treated for infertility. Among these infertile couples, it is estimated that the infertility in 40% of the couples is due to male originating causes, and another 20% is due to combined male and female originating causes. Semen analysis is a major technique in evaluating male originating causes. [0003] Standard semen analysis protocol involves the determination of at least three major semen parameters: [0004] 1. total sperm concentration (TSC); [0005] 2. percentage of motile sperm; and [0006] 3. percentage of normal sperm morphologies. [0007] For all practical purposes, semen analysis, a key factor in human male fertility medicine, has not changed since the 1930's and is still done today by microscopic inspection. In fact,...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G01N33/48B01L3/00B01L3/02G01N33/483C12M1/34C12Q1/00G01NG01N1/00G01N1/28G01N15/06G01N21/03G01N21/15G01N21/35G01N21/59G01N33/487G01N33/50G01P13/00
CPCB01L3/502B01L2200/0684B01L2400/0478B01L2400/0633G01N15/06G01N21/0303G01N21/3577G01N21/5907G01N2015/0693G01N2021/054G01N2021/1723G01N2201/0696G01N21/359G01N15/075G01N21/59
Inventor KISLEV, ABERABINOVITCH, LEV
Owner M E S MEDICAL ELECTRONICS SYST
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