Patent ID: 6235536
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for measuring components of a complete blood count in a substantially undiluted quiescent sample of anticoagulated whole blood which is admixed with one or more colorants that are effective to differentially highlight various formed cellular constituents in the blood sample End also to color plasma in the blood sample, said blood sample and colorants being contained in a viewing container having varying thickness regions therein, said method comprising the steps of:a) scanning a plurality of fields of view of the blood sample with an optical instrument wherein each field of view having a known area;b) locating areas in said quiescent blood sample which areas contain plasma lacunae and either individual red blood cells, monolayers of red blood cells, or rouleaux of red blood cells, and other formed cellular constituents in the blood sample; andc) illuminating said areas in the quiescent blood sample with selected wavelengths of light so as to differentially highlight the various formed cellular constituents in the blood sample in a manner which will enable the derivation by said optical instrument of information regarding the concentration of such highlighted blood sample constituents per unit volume of blood in said sample.