Catheter systems and methods for determining blood flow rates based on light reflection measurements. The catheter may include a lumen extending between a proximal end of the catheter and a distal end of the catheter. The catheter may include fluid infusion openings at the distal end region of the catheter that are configured to permit the indicator fluid to exit the catheter from the lumen. The catheter system may include an optical fiber having one or more sensors thereon for sensing light reflected by blood particles in a body vessel lumen. A blood flow rate may be determined based on the sensed light reflected by blood particles in the body vessel lumen.

Disclosed in one aspect is a method for performing a complete blood count (CBC) on a sample of whole blood by metering a predetermined amount of the whole blood and mixing it with a predetermined amount of diluent and stain and transferring a portion thereof to an imaging chamber of fixed dimensions and utilizing an automated microscope with digital camera and cell counting and recognition software to count every white blood cell and red blood corpuscle and platelet in the sample diluent/stain mixture to determine the number of red cells, white cells, and platelets per unit volume, and analyzing the white cells with cell recognition software to classify them.

Automatic substance preparation and evaluation systems and methods are provided for preparing and evaluating a fluidic substance, such as e.g. a sample with bodily fluid, in a container and/or in a dispense tip. The systems and methods can detect volumes, evaluate integrities, and check particle concentrations in the container and/or the dispense tip.

In some instances, an apparatus can include a light sensitive imaging sensor having a surface to receive a fluid sample, a body to be moved relative to the light sensitive imaging sensor and having a surface to touch a portion of the fluid sample, and a carrier to move the body toward the surface of the light sensitive imaging sensor to cause the surface of the body to touch the portion of the fluid sample, so that as the surface of the body touches the portion of the fluid, the surface of the body (i) is parallel to the surface of the light sensitive imaging sensor, and (ii) settles on top of the fluid sample independently of motion of the carrier.

Systems and methods for analyzing blood samples, and more specifically for performing a nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) analysis. The systems and methods screen a blood sample by means of fluorescence staining and a fluorescence triggering strategy, to identify nuclei-containing particles within the blood sample. As such, interference from unlysed red blood cells (RBCs) and fragments of lysed RBCs is substantially eliminated. The systems and methods also enable development of relatively milder reagent(s), suitable for assays of samples containing fragile white blood cells (WBCs). In one embodiment, the systems and methods include: (a) staining a blood sample with an exclusive cell membrane permeable fluorescent dye; (b) using a fluorescence trigger to screen the blood sample for nuclei-containing particles; and (c) using measurements of light scatter and fluorescence emission to distinguish nRBCs from WBCs.

A blood cell analyzer comprises a flow cell configured to flow a measurement specimen containing blood cells, a first light source configured to emit light having a first wavelength, a second light source configured to emit light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, a first light receiving portion configured to receive first scattered light obtained by irradiating the blood cells passing through the flow cell with light from the first light source, a second light receiving portion configured to receive second scattered light obtained by irradiating the blood cells passing through the flow cell with light from the second light source, and a control section configured to discriminate at least red blood cells from the blood cells contained in the measurement specimen based on detection signals output from the first light receiving portion and the second light receiving portion, respectively.

A sample measuring apparatus of an embodiment includes: a laser diode that applies laser light to a measurement specimen prepared from a sample; a detection unit that acquires optical information from a particle in the measurement specimen to which the laser light is applied; a drive circuit that supplies a direct-current drive signal to the laser diode; and a high-frequency conversion circuit that generates a potential that switches between a high level and a low level in a predetermined cycle to guide the drive signal outputted from the drive circuit to a second signal path which is different from a first signal path connected to the laser diode in the predetermined cycle, thereby converting the drive signal to be supplied to the laser diode into a high-frequency signal.

The invention, provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

A particle separating and measuring device of the present disclosure includes: a first flow path device including a post-separation flow outlet through which a first fluid containing specific particles to be separated flows out; and a second flow path device on which the first flow path device is placed and including a first flow inlet through which the first fluid flows in, the first flow path device in which the post-separation flow outlet is arranged in a lower surface is placed on the second flow path device in which the first flow inlet is arranged in an upper surface of a first region, the post-separation flow outlet and the first flow inlet are connected so as to face each other, and a size of an opening of the first flow inlet is larger than a size of an opening of the post-separation flow outlet.

The invention provides a full-automatic erythrocyte sedimentation rate analyzer, which comprises a base as well as a blending device and a detecting device mounted on the base, wherein the blending device comprises a sample rack, a sample rack bracket and a rotating device; the sample rack bracket is arranged on the base, and is connected to the sample rack through a rotating shaft; more than one test tube rack is arranged on the sample rack; the rotating device is connected to the rotating shaft, and drives the rotating shaft to rotationally drive the sample rack to turn over up and down; a plurality of holes are arranged in each test tube rack; a fixing device is arranged in the hole, and used for placing and fixing a closed container containing samples; the detecting device comprises a guide device, a driving device, infrared transmitting and receiving devices having the same quantity as that of the test tube racks, and a mounting rack; the driving device drives the mounting rack to move up and down along the guide device; the mounting rack drives the infrared transmitting and receiving devices to move; the closed containers containing the samples are located on moving paths of the infrared transmitting and receiving devices; and infrared rays penetrate through the closed containers to realize detecting.