Patent ID: 8701471
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting magnetic target objects within a moving fluid, comprising: (a) introducing a plurality of magnetic particles having photoacoustic properties to a moving fluid comprising target objects to provide magnetically-labeled target objects; (b) applying a magnetic field to an area of interest through which the fluid flows to accumulate the magnetically-labeled target objects in the area of interest to provide accumulated magnetically-labeled target objects in a first position; (c) measuring a first photoacoustic signal from the accumulated magnetically-labeled target objects in the first position; (d) manipulating the magnetic field in the area of interest to move at least a portion of the accumulated magnetically-labeled target objects in a predetermined pattern directly related to the magnetic field manipulation; and (e) measuring one or more photoacoustic signals from the accumulated magnetically-labeled target objects during and after magnetic field manipulation.