Methods and apparatus for ascertaining interferents and physical dimensions in liquid samples and containers to be analyzed by a clinical analyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9322761-B2
Application number	US-201013389761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2010
Priority date	Aug 13, 2009
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A method of inspecting a clinical specimen for a presence of one or more interferents, such as those that might be found within clinical analytical blood specimens by subjecting the specimen to centrifugation to separate the specimen into a red blood cell portion and a blood serum or plasma portion is provided. Subsequent to the centrifuging procedure, the serum or plasma portion of the clinical analytical specimen may be tested for the presence of one or more interferents such as hemolysis, icterus, lipemia, or liquid nonuniformities therein. Additionally, physical dimensional characteristics of the sample container and/or specimen may be determined. Apparatus for carrying out the method are described, as are other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of determining a characteristic of a clinical analysis specimen contained within a sample container, comprising:
orienting the sample container until a view window in the sample container is displayed, wherein the sample container is in an upright position and has a label provided thereon, the view window provided where the label is not located;
transmitting a first beam of radiation from a first radiation source comprising a collimated light source, and a second beam of radiation from a second radiation source comprising a white light source through the clinical analysis specimen contained within the sample container wherein the first beam and the second beam are transmitted onto a first side and a second side of the sample container, respectively, the second beam nonparallel with the first beam;
capturing first captured beam and the second captured beam of radiation transmitted through the clinical analysis specimen contained in the sample container via a first radiation capture device and a second radiation capture device wherein the first radiation capture device and the second radiation capture device are located on sides of the sample container opposite the first side and the second side, respectively; and
analyzing the first captured beam of radiation to determine a physical dimensional characteristic of the sample container or a physical dimensional characteristic of the clinical analysis specimen, and
analyzing a second captured beam of radiation to determine a presence of one or more interferents in an endogenous state within the clinical analysis specimen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first beam of radiation has a property selected from a group consisting of:
coherent;
and
coherent and collimated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the first beam of radiation in a vertical line.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a width of at least one captured beam of radiation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the presence of one or more interferents comprises:
measuring an amount of lipemia in a serum or plasma portion of the clinical analysis specimen based upon the analyzing the first captured beam of radiation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the presence of one or more interferents comprises:
measuring an amount of hemolysis in a serum or plasma portion of the clinical analysis specimen.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the presence of one or more interferents comprises:
measuring an amount of icterus in a serum or plasma portion of the clinical analysis specimen.

8. A method for determining a characteristic of a clinical analysis specimen contained within a sample container, comprising:
orienting the sample container until a view window in the sample container is displayed, wherein the sample container is in an upright position and has a label provided thereon, the view window provided where the label is not located;
transmitting a first beam of radiation comprising a collimated light source from a first radiation source and a second beam of radiation from a second radiation source comprising a white light source through the sample container wherein the first beam and second beam are transmitted onto a first side and second side of the sample container, respectively, the second beam nonparallel with the first beam;
capturing respective beams of radiation transmitted through the sample container via a first radiation capture device and a second radiation capture device wherein the first radiation capture device and the second radiation capture device are located on sides of the sample container opposite the first side and the second side, respectively; and
analyzing one captured beam of radiation from the first radiation source to determine a physical dimensional characteristic of the clinical analysis specimen; and
analyzing another captured beam of radiation from the second radiation source to determine a presence of one or more interferents in an endogenous state within the clinical analysis specimen.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the physical dimensional characteristic of the clinical analysis specimen comprises one or more steps selected from a group consisting of:
determining a location of an interface (SR) between a serum or plasma portion and a red blood cell portion of the clinical analysis specimen that has been centrifuged;
determining a location of an interface (SSR) between a red blood cell portion and a serum separator portion of the clinical analysis specimen that has been centrifuged; and
determining a location of an interface (SS) between a serum or plasma portion and a serum separator portion of the clinical analysis specimen that has been centrifuged.

10. A method for determining a characteristic, comprising:
orienting a sample container until a view window in the sample container is displayed, wherein the sample container is in an upright position and has a label provided thereon, the view window provided where the label is not located;
transmitting a first beam of radiation from a first radiation source comprising a collimated light source and a second beam of radiation from a second radiation source comprising a white light source through the sample container adapted to contain a clinical analysis specimen wherein the first beam and second beam are transmitted onto a first side and second side of the sample container, respectively, the second beam nonparallel with the first beam;
capturing respective beams of radiation transmitted through the sample container via a first radiation capture device and a second radiation capture device wherein the first radiation capture device and the second radiation capture device are located on sides of the sample container opposite the first side and the second side, respectively; and
analyzing one captured beam of radiation from the first radiation source to determine a physical dimensional characteristic of the sample container; and
analyzing another captured beam of radiation from the white light source to determine a presence of one or more interferents in an endogenous state within the clinical analysis specimen.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the physical dimensional characteristic of the sample container comprises one or more steps selected from a group consisting of:
determining a location of a tube-cap interface (TC) of the sample container; and
determining a height or width of the sample container.

12. An apparatus adapted to determine a characteristic of a clinical analysis specimen contained within a sample container, comprising:
a rotating holder integrated with the apparatus to hold and rotate the sample container until a view window within the sample container is displayed, wherein the sample container is in an upright position and has a label provided thereon, the view window provided where the label is not located;
a first radiation source comprising a collimated light source adapted to transmit a first beam and second radiation source comprising a white light source adapted to transmit a second beam of radiation through the clinical analysis specimen contained within the sample container wherein the first beam and second beam are transmitted onto a first side and second side of the sample container, respectively, wherein a first beam of radiation from the first radiation source is nonparallel with a beam of radiation from the second radiation source;
a first radiation capture device adapted to capture a first captured beam of radiation and a second radiation capture device adapted to ca

Assignees

• Miller Kerry L
• Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics

Inventors

• Miller Kerry L

Classifications

• G01N35/00603

  Reinspection of samples · CPC title

• G01N2015/045

  by optical analysis · CPC title

• G01N2015/055

  for hematocrite determination · CPC title

• G01N15/05

  in blood · CPC title

• G01N21/25

  Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands · CPC title