Dosimeters including lensless imaging systems
Among other things, a method comprises imaging a sample displaced between a sensor surface and a surface of a microscopy sample chamber to produce an image of at least a part of the sample. The image is produced using lensless optical microscopy, and the sample contains at least blood from a subject. The method also comprises automatically differentiating cells of different types in the image, generating a count of one or more cell types based on the automatic differentiation, and deriving a radiation dose the subject has absorbed based on the count.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a portable, battery-powered, pocket-sized bio-dosimeter comprising components including at least the following:
an imaging sensor having an array of light-sensitive elements exposed at a surface of the imaging sensor,
a second surface movable toward the surface of the imaging sensor to form a monolayer of a blood sample of a subject on the surface of the imaging sensor,
optical paths for light to pass through the monolayer of the blood sample and reach the surface of the imaging sensor,
a user interface configured to receive control inputs from a user of the bio-dosimeter and to provide information to the user,
a processor, and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to interact with the user interface, and configured to determine a count per volume of lymphocytes in the blood sample based on the light reaching the surface of the imaging sensor, and provide the count for use in determining whether the subject needs medical care for radiation exposure and reporting the determination to the subject or the user or both, one or more of the components of the bio-dosimeter being disposable or reusable.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a capillary device for transporting the blood sample to the surface of the imaging sensor.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the capillary device is preloaded with an agent to interact with the sample.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the agent comprises an anticoagulant.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to identify lymphocytes on the basis of one or more of color, size of cell, nuclear shape, and nuclear size.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to compare the count per volume of lymphocytes to previously published data.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the user interface is configured to enable use by users without training in blood biodosimetry.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to self-diagnose components of the bio-dosimeter.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine a first count per volume of lymphocytes in a first blood sample from a subject imaged at a first time, determine a second count per volume of lymphocytes in a second blood sample from the subject imaged at a second time, and use a difference between the first count and the second count to determine whether the subject needs medical care for radiation exposure.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising wireless networking components.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the blood sample to be formed on the surface of the sensor includes fluorescent or microbead-labeled antibodies.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to detect the antibodies in the blood sample.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a light source.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the surface of the imaging sensor comprises one or more wavelength filters.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which the one or more wavelength filters block ultraviolet light.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a distance between the surface of the imaging sensor and the second surface is set by the size of a spacing feature.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which the spacing feature comprises microbeads.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the monolayer of the blood sample to be formed on the surface of the sensor has a distance from the array of light-sensitive elements of less than a wavelength of light used in operation of the apparatus.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a component comprising the second surface is disposable.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a component comprising the imaging sensor is disposable.