Patent ID: 6124139
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
In an indirect agglutination assay method in which agglutination is caused by an antigen-antibody reaction employing magnetic particles, said particles having an antigen or antibody bound thereto which bind to an analyte which may be in a sample, the particles being attracted to a point in a container containing both the sample and particles under the influence of an applied magnetic force, which is removed to allow the particles to flow under the influence of gravity to form a precipitation pattern, wherein the length of the pattern is measured and then evaluated to judge the occurrence of an immunoreaction based on the length of the precipitation pattern, the improvement which comprises measuring the lengths of said precipitation pattern at a plurality of points within said container, comparing said measured lengths whit each other, selecting the longest length of the measured lengths as the length for said precipitation pattern, and determining whether the immunoreaction is positive or negative by comparing said length with a known standard.