| abstract |
The system of the present invention is a flow cytometer that includes a lensless optical system for controlling the path of light emitted from a laser light source (30). The laser light source is a standard diode laser light source that emits a thin beam. The shape of the laser light beam is well-suited for the detection of scattered light. Furthermore, the reliability of the system is further enhanced by the use of a photodetector array (48) that does not include any moving parts. The photodetector array is such that the scattered light is detectable, and this data collected provides a complete hematological analysis. Finally, the system uses a unique system of consumable reagent tubes (60) that act as reaction chamber, mixing chambers, and waste chambers for the blood sample analyses. |