Device and method for performing a complete blood count and determining a sedimentation rate
A device for performing a complete blood count and for determining a sedimentation rate including a first group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a complete blood count on the sample and a second group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a sedimentation rate determination. At least one sampling member controllable for a measurement by the first group and a measurement by the second group for sampling a blood sample so that a sample sampled for one group is not used by the other group. The second group is provided with an optical sensor and a converter so as to receive one or more light-transmission measurements from the optical sensor and to determine a sedimentation rate.
1 . A device for performing a complete blood count and determining a sedimentation rate, comprising:
a first group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a complete blood count on this sample;
a second group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a sedimentation rate determination;
at least one sampling member controllable for a measurement by the first group and a measurement by the second group for sampling a blood sample so that the sample sampled for the first group is not used by the second group, and that the sample sampled for the second group is not used by the first group, the second group being provided with a sensor comprising an infrared light source and an optical sensor arranged substantially opposite one another around a tube connected to an output end of the at least one sampling member so that light emitted by the infrared light source reaches the optical sensor after having crossed said tube, the second group being further arranged so as to carry out a rinsing of the at least one sampling member and of the tube between two sedimentation rate measurement determinations and the optical sensor being arranged so as to carry out, after a rinsing operation, a blank measurement based on the light emitted by the infrared light source and crossing the tube in an absence of the blood sample, the optical sensor being controlled with a low gain before blood passes through a substantially transparent portion, and with a high gain afterwards; and
a converter arranged so as to receive the blank measurement and one or more light transmission measurements from the optical sensor and to determine a sedimentation rate from a ratio between the blank measurement and the one or more light transmission measurements.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second group is arranged at an inlet of the device upstream of the first group, or at an outlet of the device for carrying out spreading or colouring type complementary measurements downstream of the first group.
3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the converter is arranged so as to determine a time point of measurement of a lowest light transmission, and a time point of measurement of a final light transmission.
4 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the optical sensor is arranged so as to implement a maximum gain between the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission and the time point of measurement of the final light transmission, and to otherwise implement a minimum gain.
5 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the converter is arranged so as to calculate the sedimentation rate from the ratio between (a) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the final light transmission and (b) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sampling member is a needle which could be controlled for sampling of a blood sample to which a tube is connected in which a substantially transparent portion is formed.
7 . A method for performing a complete blood count and determining a sedimentation rate comprising using a device according to claim 1 , wherein carrying out the complete blood count and determining the sedimentation rate comprise sampling two distinct samples.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second group is arranged at an inlet of the device upstream of the first group, or at an outlet of the device for carrying out spreading or colouring type complementary measurements downstream of the first group.
9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the converter is arranged so as to determine a time point of measurement of a lowest light transmission, and a time point of measurement of a final light transmission.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the optical sensor is arranged so as to implement a maximum gain between the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission and the time point of measurement of the final light transmission, and to otherwise implement a minimum gain.
11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the converter is arranged so as to calculate the sedimentation rate from the ratio between (a) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the final light transmission and (b) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission.
12 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one sampling member is a needle controllable for sampling of a blood sample to which a tube is connected in which a substantially transparent portion is formed.
13 . A device for performing a complete blood count and determining a sedimentation rate, comprising:
a first group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a complete blood count on this sample;
a second group arranged so as to sample a blood sample from a tube and to carry out a sedimentation rate determination;
at least one sampling member controllable for a measurement by the first group and a measurement by the second group for sampling a blood sample so that the sample sampled for the first group is not used by the second group, and that the sample sampled for the second group is not used by the first group, the second group being provided with a sensor comprising an infrared light source and an optical sensor arranged substantially opposite one another around a tube connected to an output end of the at least one sampling member so that light emitted by the infrared light source reaches the optical sensor after having crossed said tube, the second group being further arranged so as to carry out a rinsing of the at least one sampling member and of the tube between two sedimentation rate measurement determinations and the optical sensor being arranged so as to carry out, after a rinsing operation, a blank measurement based on the light emitted by the infrared light source and crossing the tube in an absence of the blood sample; and
a converter arranged so as to receive the blank measurement and one or more light transmission measurements from the optical sensor and to determine a sedimentation rate from a ratio between the blank measurement and the one or more light transmission measurements, wherein the converter is arranged so as to determine a time point of measurement of a lowest light transmission, and a time point of measurement of a final light transmission, and the optical sensor is arranged so as to implement a maximum gain between the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission and the time point of measurement of the final light transmission, and to otherwise implement a minimum gain.
14 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the second group is arranged at an inlet of the device upstream of the first group, or at an outlet of the device for carrying out spreading or colouring type complementary measurements downstream of the first group.
15 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the converter is arranged so as to calculate the sedimentation rate from the ratio between (a) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the final light transmission and (b) the ratio between the blank measurement and the measurement at the time point of measurement of the lowest light transmission.
16 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the optical sensor is controlled with a low gain before blood passes through a substantially transparent portion, and with a high gain afterwards.
17 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one sampling member is a needle which could be controlled for sampling of a blood sample to which a tube is connected in which a substantially transparent portion is formed.
18 . A method for performing a complete blood count and determining a sedimentation rate comprising using a device according to claim 13 , wherein carrying out the complete blood count and determining the sedimentation rate comprise sampling two distinct samples.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the second group is arranged at an inlet of the device upstream of the first group, or at an outlet of the device for carrying out spreading or colouring type complementary measurements downstream of the first group.
20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the optical sensor is controlled with a low gain before blood passes through a substantially transparent portion, and with a high gain afterwards.