Hematology analyzers and methods of operation

1. An automated system for evaluating an infection status associated with a blood sample obtained from an individual, the automated system comprising:

a transducer operable to measure a control material as the control material passes through an aperture, the control material comprising a first cell population and a second cell population, wherein the first cell population is different from the second cell population;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the automated system to:

obtain current data for the control material,

calculate a first value, wherein the first value is a distribution width value of the first cell population,

calculate a second value, wherein the second value is a distribution width value of the second cell population,

perform a first comparison for a hematology parameter by comparing the first value to a first reference range for the hematology parameter,

perform a second comparison for the hematology parameter by comparing the second value to a second reference range for the hematology parameter, and

classify an operational status of the automated system based on the first comparison and the second comparison.

2. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein calculating the first value comprises calculating a standard deviation, coefficient of variation, or a dispersion measurement of a volume measurement measuring volumes of individual cells from the first cell population.

3. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein:

the hematology parameter is monocyte distribution width; and

the control material has a known monocyte distribution width value greater than a value of a monocyte distribution width from a healthy individual.

4. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein:

the hematology parameter is monocyte distribution width; and

the control material has a known monocyte distribution width value lower than a value of a monocyte distribution width from an individual with an infection.

5. The automated system of claim 3 , wherein the first value is indicative of a clinical condition.

6. The automated system of claim 5 , wherein the first value is indicative of an infection.

7. The automated system of claim 5 , wherein the first value is indicative of systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

8. The automated system of claim 5 , wherein the first value is indicative of sepsis or a likelihood of developing sepsis.

9. A method for operating a hematology analyzer, the method comprising:

passing a control material through the hematology analyzer, the control material comprising a first cell population and a second cell population, wherein the first cell population is different from the second cell population;

calculating a first value, wherein the first value is a distribution width value of the first cell population;

calculating a second value, wherein the second value is a distribution width value of the second cell population;

performing a first comparison for a hematology parameter by comparing the first value to a first reference range for the hematology parameter;

performing a second comparison for the hematology parameter by comparing the second value to a second reference range for the hematology parameter; and

classifying an operational status of the hematology analyzer based on the first comparison and the second comparison.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein classifying the operational status of the hematology analyzer comprises:

classifying the hematology analyzer as operational upon determining that the first value is within the first reference range and determining that the second value is within the second reference range.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the hematology parameter is monocyte distribution width;

the method comprises:

classifying the operational status of the hematology analyzer comprises classifying the hematology analyzer as operational,

passing a blood sample from a patient through the hematology analyzer,

determining, using the hematology analyzer, a monocyte distribution width value for the blood sample, and

evaluating an infection status associated with the blood sample based on the monocyte distribution width value for the blood sample.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein evaluating the infection status comprises determining an infection is present, and the method further comprises treating the patient for the infection earlier than conventional methods.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

classifying the operational status as operational,

passing the control material again through the hematology analyzer within 24 hours of passing the control material through the hematology analyzer.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cell population simulates a cell type selected from the group consisting of monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second cell population simulates a cell type selected from the group consisting of monocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and mixtures thereof.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cell population volume measurement comprises measuring direct current impedance or radio frequency (RF) conductivity.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising measuring an optical parameter.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the optical parameter is a light scatter parameter.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the light scatter parameter is selected from a group consisting of upper median angle light scatter (UMALS), lower median angle light scatter (LMALS), median angle light scatter (MALS), and lower angle light scatter (LALS).

20. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cell population or the second cell population simulates a granulocyte.

21. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the hematology parameter is a numerical characteristic of a first cell type;

the first cell population comprises cells of a second cell type;

the second cell population comprises cells of a third cell type;

the first cell type, the second cell type, and the third cell type are all different from each other; and

classifying the operational status of the hematology analyzer based on the first comparison and the second comparison comprises validating the analyzer's ability to operate over a range of values for the hematology parameter sufficient to identify a clinical condition using the hematology parameter.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein:

the first cell type is human monocytes;

the hematology parameter is monocyte distribution width; and

neither the second cell type nor the third cell type is a human cell type.

23. A method for operating a hematology analyzer, the method comprising:

passing a control material through the hematology analyzer, the control material comprising a first cell population and a second cell population, wherein the first cell population is different from the second cell population;

calculating a first value, wherein the first value is a distribution width value of the first cell population;

calculating a second value, wherein the second value is a distribution width value of the second cell population;

performing a first comparison for a hematology parameter by comparing the first value to a first reference range for the hematology parameter;

performing a second comparison for the hematology parameter by comparing the second value to a second reference range for the hematology parameter; and

classifying an operational status of the hematology analyzer based on the first comparison and/or the second comparison, wherein classifying the operational status of the hematology analyzer comprises classifying the hematology analyzer as not operational upon at least one of determining that the first value is outside the first reference range or determining that the second value is outside the second reference range.