Urine Analyzer Dual-Mode Cell Classification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample analyzers are inadequate for accurately analyzing urine and body fluids that contain a broad range of cell sizes, from large cells to small cells, as they struggle to differentiate and classify cells with varying sizes and fluorescence intensities effectively.
Innovation Solution
A urine sample analyzer is designed with a sample preparing section that creates two types of measurement samples, one for non-nucleated components and one for nucleated components, using specific staining liquids and diluting liquids, and an optical detector that uses laser light to differentiate cells based on forward scattered light, side scattered light, and fluorescent light signals, with adjustable sensitivity to accurately classify cells of different sizes and types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single beam spot size (3 to 8 μm) is used for flow cytometry analysis, then large cells (white blood cells with 10 to 15 μm nucleus) can be analyzed, but small cells (bacteria with 0.4 to 2 μm diameter) cannot be effectively differentiated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process into two distinct modes: one for large cells using pulse area (integrating fluorescent light over time) and another for small cells using peak intensity (maximum fluorescent light during passage). This segmentation allows the same flow cytometer to accurately measure both large and small cells by selecting the appropriate parameter for each cell size category.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter based on cell size: using pulse area for large cells and peak intensity for small cells. This parameter change enables the instrument to adapt to different cell sizes without hardware modification, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision for large cells and adaptability to small cells.
2Measurement precision
If pulse area (integral value) is used to classify cells, then large cells with abundant nucleic acid can be accurately identified, but small cells with limited nucleic acid produce insufficient signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent switches the measurement parameter from pulse area to peak intensity based on cell size. For small cells, peak intensity provides sufficient signal detection even with limited nucleic acid, while for large cells, pulse area maintains accurate quantification. This parameter adaptation ensures reliable detection across all cell sizes.
3Measurement precision
If the flow cytometer is designed for specific cell size ranges, then measurement precision for those cells is high, but the device cannot analyze samples containing cells of varying sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the flow cytometer universal by implementing a dual-parameter measurement capability that works for both large and small cells. The system can automatically select between pulse area and peak intensity based on cell size, enabling a single device to accurately analyze diverse samples including urine, blood, and other body fluids with varying cell size distributions.
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
The analyzer achieves precise classification and detection of cells in urine, including red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, and other components by utilizing specific optical signal parameters, enabling accurate analysis of both large and small cells through distinct characterization in the analyzer's parameter spaces.
Implementation Method 1
a light source for irradiating a light to a specimen being supplied, a scattered light receiving element for detecting scattered light emitted from the specimen
Implementation Method 2
a fluorescence receiving element for detecting fluorescence emitted from the specimen
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a sample analyzer which comprises: a sample preparing section configured to prepare a measurement sample by mixing a sample and a nucleic acid staining reagent; an optical detector configured to irradiate light on cells contained in the measurement sample, receive fluorescent light given off by the irradiated cells, and output fluorescent light signals; a signal processing section which obtains fluorescent light intensity and fluorescence pulse area of the cells from the fluorescent light signals output by the optical detector; and an information processing section configured to detect white blood cells contained in the measurement sample based on the fluorescence pulse area, and detect bacteria contained in the measurement sample based on the fluorescent light intensity.