Rotatable cartridge with multiple metering chambers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018136243-A1
Application number	US-201715807802-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2016
Publication date	May 17, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and cartridge for determining an amount of at least two analytes in a biological sample and an automatic analyzer are disclosed. The cartridge may comprise a cartridge inlet, a sample holding chamber fluidically connected to the inlet, and two or more metering chambers. Each metering chamber may comprise a sample inlet, a sample outlet, and a metered outlet for dispensing a predetermined volume. At least one sample distribution channel is connected between the sample outlet of a metering chamber with a sample inlet of another metering chamber. For each metering chamber, a connecting tube fluidically connects the sample inlet with the sample holding chamber, a microfluidic structure for processing the sample into a processed sample connects to the sample outlet, and a measurement structure fluidically connects to the microfluidic structure and enables measurement of the processed sample to determine the amount of the analyte in the processed sample.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of determining an amount of at least two analytes in a biological sample using a cartridge, wherein the biological sample comprises a fluid, wherein the cartridge is operable for being spun around a rotational axis, wherein the cartridge comprises:
a cartridge inlet for receiving the biological sample, a sample holding chamber fluidically connected to the cartridge inlet, two or more metering chambers for receiving a predetermined volume of the biological sample, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a sample inlet, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a sample outlet, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a metered outlet for dispensing a predetermined volume, a connecting tube for each of the two or more metering chambers that fluidically connects the sample inlet with the sample holding chamber, at least one sample distribution channel, wherein each of the at least one sample distribution channel is connected between the sample outlet of a first selected metering chamber with a sample inlet of a second selected metering chamber, wherein the two or more metering chambers comprises the first selected metering chamber, wherein the two or more metering chambers comprise the second selected metering chamber, wherein the second selected metering chamber is adjacent to the first selected metering chamber, a microfluidic structure for each of the two or more metering chambers, wherein the microfluidic structure is connected to the sample outlet, wherein the microfluidic structure is configured for processing the biological sample into a processed sample, and a measurement structure for each of the two or more metering chambers for enabling measurement of the processed sample to determine a concentration of the analyte in the processed sample, wherein the measurement structure is fluidically connected to the microfluidic structure, and
wherein the method comprises:
placing the biological sample into the cartridge inlet to at least partially fill the sample holding chamber;
rotating the cartridge about the rotational axis to transport a portion of the sample from the sample holding chamber to each of the two or more metering chambers, wherein rotation of the cartridge causes simultaneous transport of a first part of the portion of the sample to each of the two or more metering chambers via the connecting tube for each of the two or more metering chambers, wherein rotation of the cartridge causes transport of a second part of the portion of the sample to at least one of the two or more metering chambers in serial via the at least one sample distribution channel;
controlling the rotation of the cartridge about the rotational axis to transport a metered biological sample from each of the two or more metering chambers to the microfluidic structure, wherein the metered biological sample has the predetermined volume;
controlling the rotation of the cartridge about the rotational axis to process the metered biological sample into the processed sample;
controlling the rotation of the cartridge to transfer the processed sample from the microfluidic structure to the measurement structure; and
measuring the amount of at least two analytes using the measurement structure of each of the two or more metering chambers and a measurement system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge inlet is located closer to the rotational axis than the sample holding chamber, wherein the sample holding chamber is elongated along an elongated path, wherein the elongated path at least partially encircles the rotational axis, wherein the sample holding chamber has a furthest edge from the rotational axis, wherein the distance from the furthest edge to the rotational axis increases along the elongated path, and wherein the connecting tube for each of the two or more metering chambers is connected to the sample holding chamber at the furthest edge.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a multi-component fluid that comprises at least one solid, at least one fluid, and at least one lipid.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is a whole blood sample, and wherein the two or more metering chambers are plasma separation chambers.

5 . A cartridge for determining an amount of at least two analytes in a biological sample, wherein the cartridge is operable for being spun around a rotational axis, wherein the cartridge comprises:
a cartridge inlet for receiving the biological sample; a sample holding chamber fluidically connected to the cartridge inlet; two or more metering chambers for the biological sample for receiving a predetermine volume of the biological sample, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a sample inlet, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a sample outlet, wherein each of the two or more metering chambers comprises a metered outlet for dispensing a predetermined volume; a connecting tube for each of the two or more metering chambers that fluidically connects the sample inlet with the sample holding chamber; at least one sample distribution channel, wherein each of the at least one sample distribution chamber is connected between the sample outlet of a first selected metering chamber with a sample inlet of a second selected metering chamber, wherein the two or more metering chambers comprises the first selected metering chamber, wherein the two or more metering chambers comprise the second selected metering chamber, wherein the second selected metering chamber is adjacent to the first selected metering chamber; a microfluidic structure for each of the two or more metering chambers, wherein the microfluidic structure is connected to the sample outlet, wherein the microfluidic structure is configured for processing sample into a processed sample; and a measurement structure for each of the two or more metering chambers for enabling measurement of the processed sample to determine the amount of the analyte in the processed sample, wherein the measurement structure is fluidically connected to the microfluidic structure.

6 . The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the two or more metering chambers comprise a first filled metering chamber and one or more sequentially filled metering chambers, wherein each of the one or more sequentially filled metering chambers comprises a sample bypass channel that fluidically connects the sample inlet with the sample outlet.

7 . The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the at least two analytes each comprise any one of the following: Troponin T, Troponin I, CKMB, NTproBNP, D-Dimer, Myoglobin, TSH and PCT.

8 . The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the cartridge is formed from a plastic disk and a cover plate, wherein at least a portion of the sample chamber is visible through the cover plate and/or the plastic disk.

9 . The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the sample holding chamber is configured for receiving the biological sample with a volume between 30 μL and 500 μL.

10 . The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the cartridge inlet is located closer to the rotational axis than the sample holding chamber, wherein the sample holding chamber is elongated along an elongated path, wherein the elongated path at least partially encircles the rotational axis, wherein the sample holding chamber has a furthest edge from the rotational axis, wherein the distance from the furthest edge to the rotational axis increases along the elongated path, and wherein the connecting tube for each of the two or more metering chambers is connected to the sample holding chamber at the furthest edge.

11 . The cartridge of clai

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc

Inventors

• Boehm Christoph
• Lutz Sascha
• Keller Thomas

Classifications

• G01N33/5005

  involving human or animal cells (immunoassay G01N33/56966; immunoassays of protozoa G01N33/56905; protozoa in screening assays C12Q1/025) · CPC title

• G01N35/00584 Primary

  Control arrangements for automatic analysers · CPC title

• B01L2300/0806

  Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format · CPC title

• G01N35/00069 Primary

  whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk · CPC title

• B01L2200/10

  Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept · CPC title