Patent ID: 8269954

Claim:
A method for analyzing a blood sample quiescently residing within an analysis chamber defined by a first panel and a second panel, both of which panels are transparent, which sample has one or more first constituents and one or more second constituents, and which second constituents are different from the first constituents, and which sample is mixed with a colorant that causes the first constituents and the second constituents to fluoresce upon exposure to predetermined first wavelengths of light, and which colorant is also operative to absorb light at one or more predetermined second wavelengths of light, the method comprising the steps of: illuminating at least a portion of the sample containing the first constituents and the second constituents at the first wavelengths and at the second wavelengths; imaging the at least a portion of the sample, including producing image signals indicative of fluorescent emissions from the first constituents and the second constituents and image signals indicative of the optical density of the first constituents and the second constituents; determining one or more fluorescent emission values for each the first constituents and second constituents using the image signals; determining one or more optical density values for each of the first constituents and second constituents using the image signals; and identifying the first constituents and the second constituents using the determined fluorescent emission values and the determined optical density values.