Blood Cell Analyzer Aggregation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blood cell analyzers face reduced measurement accuracy due to white blood cell aggregation in the measurement specimen, leading to incorrect counting of white blood cells.

Innovation Solution

The blood cell analyzer detects particles with waveform widths greater than or equal to a predetermined value to determine aggregation, using two measurement channels with different reagents to output accurate white blood cell counts, thereby increasing analysis reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a blood sample is mixed with a predetermined reagent to prepare a measurement specimen, then the white blood cells can be counted, but white blood cells may aggregate in the measurement specimen causing reduced measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewhite blood cell counting accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement result reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the reagent parameters by preparing measurement specimens with different reagents (first reagent and second reagent). This allows the system to switch measurement conditions based on whether aggregation occurs, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while accounting for reliability issues caused by aggregation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system determines whether aggregation has occurred based on particle count comparisons between different measurement specimens. Based on this feedback, the system selectively outputs results from the appropriate measurement channel, ensuring reliable results while maintaining high measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If white blood cells aggregate in the measurement specimen, then the measurement process can proceed, but aggregated white blood cells are counted as one cell causing reduced counting accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement throughputVSAvoidwhite blood cell counting accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs excessive measurement actions by preparing and measuring multiple measurement specimens with different reagents. This ensures that even if aggregation occurs in one specimen, the true cell count can be obtained from another specimen, thereby maintaining both productivity and measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

This approach enhances the reliability of white blood cell counting by accurately distinguishing between aggregated and individual cells, ensuring more precise results.

Implementation Method 1

a measurement unit (26), which measures a measurement specimen (S1, S2) to obtain a plurality of characteristic information of each particle contained in the measurement specimen

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 2

the length of the aggregate when passing through the flow cell becomes longer than that of a normal white blood cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow: Laminar Flow

Data Source

PatentEP2902769B1Blood cell analyzer
Publication Date: 2021.11.24 SYSMEX CORP
  • EP2902769B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2902769B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2902769B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A blood cell analyzer comprises specimen preparation means for preparing a first measurement specimen and for preparing a second measurement specimen, optical detection means for detecting light emitted from each particle contained in each of the first measurement specimen and the second measurement specimen, control means for performing first classification based on the first detection signals and counting a first number of white blood cells and for performing second classification based on the second detection signals and counting a second number of white blood cells, and output means. In accordance with a result of detection of particles whose first detection signals each have a waveform having a width being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the control means causes the output means to output either one of the first number of white blood cells and the second number of white blood cells, as the number of white blood cells of the blood sample.