Patent ID: 8481282
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting the presence of anisotropic crystals within an undiluted whole blood sample, comprising the steps of: disposing the undiluted whole blood sample within a sample chamber in a sample layer having a height not greater than about fifteen microns (15μ); disposing the sample layer within the sample chamber optically located between a polarizing filter having a polar orientation and an analyzing filter having a polar orientation; selectively disposing the polarizing filter, sample chamber, and analyzing filter in a first configuration relative to a light source such that light from the light source passes through the polarizing filter and becomes polarized light, and the polarizing light subsequently passes through the undiluted whole blood sample, and subsequently impinges on the analyzing filter, and wherein in the first configuration the polar orientations of the polarizing filter and the analyzing filter are crossed, and the polarized light will not pass through the analyzing filter, and light passing through an anisotropic crystal disposed within the sample will have a modified polar orientation and will pass through the analyzing filter in the first configuration; and detecting the presence of at least one anisotropic crystal within the undiluted whole blood sample based on light passing through the analyzing filter in the first configuration.