METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING RED BLOOD CELL INDICES OF A BLOOD SAMPLE UTILIZING THE INTRINSIC PIGMENTATION OF HEMOGLOBIN CONTAINED WITHIN THE RED BLOOD CELLS

摘要

Method and apparatus for determining the concentration of haemoglobin withinred blood cells. An undiluted,whole blood sample is deposited into a transparent analysis chamber (10) whoseheight is such that the red blood cells are in contactwith both surfaces (14, 18). Then the optical density of a portion of the redblood cells in contact with both' surf aces is measured.The haemoglobin concentration of the red blood cell is calculated from theoptical density and the known distinction coefficientof haemoglobin. This is repeated with other cells until an average haemoglobinconcentration can be determined with confidence.Dependent claims include use of zwitterionic isovolumetric sphering agent makethe measurement independent of a geometricalform factor.