Patent ID: 8107715

Claim:
A method for the imaging detection of a sample in a sample vessel ( 10 ), which is longitudinally elongate and transparent at least in sections, by means of a detection arrangement comprising: a sample vessel holder ( 23 , 30 ) for stably supporting the sample vessel ( 10 ) in a housing ( 21 ), with the sample vessel holder ( 23 , 30 ) having in the region of at least one longitudinal side of the sample vessel ( 10 ) a side viewing window which at least in sections uncovers the longitudinal side, and the sample vessel holder ( 23 , 30 ) also having in the region of at least one end side of the sample vessel ( 10 ) an end viewing window ( 34 , 35 ) which at least in sections uncovers this end side, a first illumination arrangement comprising at least one light source ( 200 ) for illuminating the sample and/or the sample vessel ( 10 ), with the light source ( 200 ) being arranged adjacent to the end viewing window ( 34 , 35 ) and the sample and/or the sample vessel being able to be illuminated through the end viewing window ( 34 ) by means of the light source ( 200 ), an imaging photodetector ( 22 ) for the imaging detection, at least in sections, of the light emitted through a side viewing window due to the illumination of the sample and/or the sample vessel ( 10 ), a digital data processing unit for image processing and controlling the photodetector ( 22 ), characterized in that a second illumination arrangement with at least one light source is provided, by means of which the sample and/or the sample vessel ( 10 ) can be illuminated through a side viewing window, and in which the method comprises the following steps: illuminating the sample and/or the sample vessel ( 10 ) by means of the first illumination arrangement, using the photodetector ( 22 ) to record a first image of the sample and/or sample vessel ( 10 ) illuminated by the first illumination arrangement, illuminating the sample and/or the sample vessel ( 10 ) by means of the second illumination arrangement, using the photodetector ( 22 ) to record a second image of the sample and/or sample vessel ( 10 ) illuminated by the second illumination arrangement, superposing the first and the second image by means of the digital data processing apparatus, and displaying the resultant superposed image on a display apparatus connected to the digital data processing apparatus.