Patent ID: 7344890

Claim:
A method of differentiation of platelets in a blood cell sample comprising: (a) mixing a blood cell sample with a ghosting reagent to form a blood cell sample suspension, causing leaking of hemoglobin from red blood cells in said suspension and a reduction of light scattered by said red blood cells relative to light scattered by platelets; (b) flowing said suspension through a particle sensing zone of an instrument; (c) directing a light beam at said particle sensing zone; (d) measuring intensities of light scatter signals of said platelets and non-platelet cells in said suspension passing through said particle sensing zone, and time-of-flight of said platelets and said non-platelet cells in said particle sensing zone; and (e) analyzing said intensities of said light scatter signals and said time-of-flight of said platelets and said non-platelet cells to differentiate said platelets from said non-platelet cells.