Apparatus and method for in vivo analysis of red and white blood cell indices

Claim 2

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics from a flow of blood cells in mucus membranes comprising: image capturing means for optically isolating individual blood cells in at least one flow of blood cells in said mucus membranes; image receiving means for receiving a plurality of still images of said blood cells from said image capturing means; filtering means for interposing light filters on said images; and means for determining blood cell characteristics MCV, Hb, MCHC, RBC and WBC from said still images.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising display means for displaying said blood cell characteristics.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising image enlarger means disposed between said image capturing means and said image receiving means for enlarging said still images.

Claim 5

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics from a plurality of still images of blood cells flowing in capillaries of mucus membranes comprising: image capturing means for optically isolating images of red and white blood cells in at least one capillary wherein only a few blood cells may pass a given point simultaneously; filtering means for alternatively interposing optical filters on red and white blood cell images isolated by said image capturing means; image receiving means for receiving said plurality of filtered images and including means for translating said filtered images into electronic data; analysis means connected to said image receiving means for determining individual red and white blood cell characteristics MCV, Hb, MCHC, MCH, RBC and WBC from said electronic data; and display means for displaying said blood cell characteristics.

Claim 6

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics from a plurality of still images of blood cells flowing in capillaries of mucus membranes comprising: image capturing means for optically isolating images of red and white blood cells in at least one capillary wherein only a few blood cells may pass a given point simultaneously; filtering means for alternatively interposing optical filters on red and white blood cell images isolated by said image capturing means; image receiving means for receiving said plurality of filtered images and including means for translating said filtered images into electronic data; analysis means connected to said image receiving means for determining individual red and white blood cell characteristics MCV, Hb, MCHC, MCH, RBC and WBC from said electronic data; and display means for displaying said blood cell characteristics.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising fiber optic transmission means for conducting said captured red and white blood cell images to said image receiving means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said image receiving means comprises: a vidicon tube means for receiving images from said image capturing means and transmitting said images in the form of a video signal; a video amplifier means for amplifying said video signal; a shading corrector means for correcting said amplified video signal; a detection device means for encoding image characteristics from said corrected amplified video signal; and a digitizer means for processing said encoded image characteristics.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 6 which further comprises: a computer means interfacing with said digitizer to receive and analyze processed image information; and input means for entering data into said computer.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said image capturing means is a slit lamp device.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said image capturing means is a charge coupled device.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising a strobed fiber optic light source means to illuminate a desired flow of blood cells.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said image capturing means is an ophthalmoscope.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said filter means is an optical chopper comprising: a rotatable wheel having a slot therein in line with image transmission; and a filter held in said slot, said filter adapted to have a maxima of absorption corresponding to the maximum reflected by hemoglobin.

Claim 15

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics from a flow of blood cells in mucus membranes comprising: an ophthalmoscope means having a magnification range of from 150X to about 650X for capturing images of blood cells from said flow of blood cells; an image splitter means connected to said ophthalmoscope means for diverting a portion of the captured images; an image magnifier means connected to said splitter for magnifying said diverted captured images; a light chopper and filter means connected to said image magnifier means for alternately interposing a filter on said diverted captured images; a video camera scanner means connected to said light chopper and filter means for receiving and translating said diverted, captured, filtered and unfiltered images of blood cells into electronic information; a computer means connected to said video camera scanner means for receiving said electronic information and determining blood cell characteristics of MCV, Hb, MCHC, MCH, RBC and WBC therefrom using analytical programs for image analysis and computation.

Claim 16

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics from a flow of blood cells in mucus membranes comprising: an ophthalmoscope means having a magnification range of from 150X to about 650X for capturing images of blood cells from said flow of blood cells; an image splitter means connected to said ophthalmoscope means for diverting a portion of the captured images; an image magnifier means connected to said splitter for magnifying said diverted captured images; a light chopper and filter means connected to said image magnifier means for alternately interposing a filter on said diverted captured images; a video camera scanner means connected to said light chopper and filter means for receiving and translating said diverted, captured, filtered and unfiltered images of blood cells into electronic information; a computer means connected to said video camera scanner means for receiving said electronic information and determining blood cell characteristics of MCV, Hb, MCHC, MCH, RBC and WBC therefrom using analytical programs for image analysis and computation.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising an output device means for displaying said blood cell characteristics.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said ophthalmoscope, image splitter, image magnifier, light chopper and filter, video camera scanner and computer means are connected by means of fiber optic transmission lines.

Claim 19

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics including MCV, MCHC and Hct from a flow of blood cells in mucus membranes wherefrom MCH, Hb, RBC and WBC can be calculated, said apparatus comprising: a focusable light source and visual image receiver means for identifying and capturing individual red and white blood cell images in at least one capillary wherein only a few blood cells may pass a given point simultaneously; a light chopper and filter means connected to said focusable light source and visual image receiver means for alternatively interposing a filter on said captured images; an optical image receiver enhancer-enlarger means connected to said light chopper and filter means for receiving, encoding and enlarging said images to make them suitable for visual analysis; a video screen means connected to said optical image receiver enhancer-enlarger means for receiving and projecting said enlarged images; and a digitizer means connected to receive said enhanced and enlarged images and to convert said images to digital values; a computer means connected to said digitizer means for receiving said digital values and computing blood cell characteristic including MCH, Hb, RBC and WBC from measured characteristics MCV, MCHC, Hct.

Claim 20

Apparatus for in vivo determination of red and white blood cell characteristics including MCV, MCHC and Hct from a flow of blood cells in mucus membranes wherefrom MCH, Hb, RBC and WBC can be calculated, said apparatus comprising: a focusable light source and visual image receiver means for identifying and capturing individual red and white blood cell images in at least one capillary wherein only a few blood cells may pass a given point simultaneously; a light chopper and filter means connected to said focusable light source and visual image receiver means for alternatively interposing a filter on said captured images; an optical image receiver enhancer-enlarger means connected to said light chopper and filter means for receiving, encoding and enlarging said images to make them suitable for visual analysis; a video screen means connected to said optical image receiver enhancer-enlarger means for receiving and projecting said enlarged images; and a digitizer means connected to receive said enhanced and enlarged images and to convert said images to digital values; a computer means connected to said digitizer means for receiving said digital values and computing blood cell characteristic including MCH, Hb, RBC and WBC from measured characteristics MCV, MCHC, Hct.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 16 further including an output device connected to said computer for displaying said blood cell characteristics.

Claim 24

A method as in claim 18 which includes the step of displaying said characteristics.

Claim 25

A method as in claim 18 wherein the red blood cell characteristics of mean cell hemoglobin concentration and mean cell volume are determined by image analysis.

Claim 26

A method as in claim 18 wherein said analyzing of electronic data includes subtraction reflectance spectrometry to determine hemoglobin concentration of red blood cells in vivo.

Claim 27

A method as in claim 18 wherein said flow of red and white blood cells is isolated in the conjuctiva area of the eye.