Blood analysis by hyperspectral imaging

Abstract

The current disclosure relates to a method for determining the presence of a specific variant of a given protein, for example hemoglobin, capable of binding an analyte, for example oxygen, in cells of a biological sample, said method comprising determining the binding affinity of said analyte to said protein in a plurality of cells, for example red blood cells within said sample. The protein can be hemoglobin, which is capable of binding to oxygen, and the presence of specific variant of hemoglobin in cells of a blood sample is determined by the oxygen binding affinity of hemoglobin in a plurality of red blood cells within said sample. The method is also used for determining the presence of one or more specific types of red blood cells in a blood sample comprising analysing a blood sample using hyperspectral imaging. The method further relates to monitoring a disease associated with the presence of a specific variant of a given protein capable of binding an analyte in cells of an individual afflicted with said disease, wherein the method comprises the step of determining the presence of said specific variant of said protein in cells of a biological sample obtained from said individual. For example, the method is used for monitoring a disease associated with the presence of a specific variant of hemoglobin in red blood cells in an individual and / or in a fetus carried by said individual, wherein the method comprises determining the oxygen binding affinity of hemoglobin in a plurality of red blood cells in a blood sample from obtained from said individual. Moreover, the method is used for monitoring a disease relating to the presence of different types of red blood cells in an individual and / or in a fetus carried by said individual, wherein the method comprises the step of determining the presence of one or more specific types of red blood cells in a blood sample obtained from said individual by analysing said blood sample using hyperspectral imaging. The disclosure also relates to a measuring instrument configured to perform measurements following the disclosed methods.

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