Patent ID: 9643180
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: A61B,B01L,G01N

Claim:
1. A method for determining whether one or more targets is present in a sample, said method comprising: a) providing a vessel comprising a detection surface with a detection area having a shortest linear dimension of ≧1 mm; b) combining the sample with signaling moieties, selection moieties, and optionally a crosslinker, wherein either c) providing any complexes of (b)(i)-(b)(iii) in a liquid overlying layer that overlays an underlying cushion layer adjacent to the detection surface of the vessel, wherein the underlying cushion layer is denser than the overlying liquid layer and separates the overlying liquid layer from the detection surface and wherein said underlying cushion layer comprises a dye that interferes with the transmission of light to or from the signaling moieties; d) applying a selection force to move said selection moieties, either unbound or in a complexes of (b)(i), (b)(ii), or (b)(iii), in said overlying layer through said underlying cushion layer to deposit said selection moieties within a detection zone corresponding to said detection area, wherein the selection force does not move said one or more targets not bound to selection moieties into the detection zone; and e) simultaneously detecting individual complexes of (b)(i), (b)(ii), or (b)(iii) within the detection zone, at magnification of less than 5×, to determine whether said one or more targets is present in said sample, wherein said method does not comprise a washing step and wherein said targets measure less than 50 microns in at least two orthogonal dimensions, and wherein, for (b)(ii) and (b)(iii), the determining whether said one or more targets is present in said sample is made relative to a reference.