Blood Analyzer Hemolyzing Agent Lymphocyte Blast Differentiation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blood analyzers struggle to distinguishably detect abnormal lymphocytes from blasts and atypical lymphocytes due to overlapping areas in scattergrams of fluorescence and scattered light intensity, leading to incorrect identification in disease diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

A blood analyzer system that uses a hemolyzing agent without cationic surfactants but with nonionic surfactants and fluorescent dyes to prepare samples, allowing for the detection of cells with specific fluorescence and scattered light intensities, enabling the differentiation of abnormal lymphocytes from blasts and atypical lymphocytes based on predetermined ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a hemolyzing agent containing a cationic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant is used, then leukocytes can be classified into five categories, but abnormal lymphocytes and blasts cannot be distinguished from each other due to overlapping areas in scattergrams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleukocyte classification capabilityVSAvoiddetection accuracy of abnormal lymphocytes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the hemolyzing agent by removing cationic surfactants and using only nonionic surfactants. This parameter change modifies the interaction between the reagent and cell membranes, resulting in different lysis patterns that allow abnormal lymphocytes and blasts to be distinguished in scattergrams, thereby resolving the measurement precision issue while maintaining leukocyte classification capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different nonionic surfactant types (Type 1 and Type 2) with distinct molecular structures and properties to achieve differential lysis effects on different cell types. This local quality approach allows specific cell populations (abnormal lymphocytes vs. blasts) to exhibit different fluorescence and scattered light intensity characteristics, enabling their differentiation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If reagents are used to develop differences in fluorescence and scattered light intensity, then leukocyte classification is achieved, but abnormal lymphocytes and atypical lymphocytes cannot be distinguished

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluorescence intensity differentiationVSAvoidcell type identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite reagent system combining specific nonionic surfactants (Type 1 and Type 2) with fluorescent dyes. This composite material approach creates synergistic effects where the surfactants provide selective membrane lysis while the fluorescent dye stains nucleic acids, producing distinct fluorescence and scattered light intensity patterns that enable differentiation of abnormal lymphocytes from atypical lymphocytes and other leukocytes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate detection of abnormal lymphocytes, avoiding misidentification with blasts and atypical lymphocytes, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy in diseases like chronic lymphatic leukemia and acute leukemia.

Implementation Method 1

a fluorescent dye for staining nucleic acid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

receive fluorescence and scattered light that are produced by cells in the measurement sample when the light source irradiates the measurement sample with light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP2703813B1Blood analyzer, blood analysis method, and computer program
Publication Date: 2017.05.03 SYSMEX CORP
  • EP2703813B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2703813B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2703813B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A blood analyzer, a blood analysis method, and a computer program that can distinguishably detect abnormal lymphocytes from blasts and atypical lymphocytes are provided. A blood analyzer (1) prepares a measurement sample by mixing a first reagent containing a hemolyzing agent, a second reagent containing a fluorescent dye for staining nucleic acid, and a blood specimen in a sample preparation portion (22). The hemolyzing agent does not substantially contain a cationic surfactant, but contains a nonionic surfactant. A detection portion (23) measures the measurement sample and an information processing unit (5) processes a measurement data output by the detection portion (23), so that the blood analyzer (1) can detect abnormal lymphocytes and blasts separately. The information processing unit (2) outputs an analysis result based on a detection result.