[A flow laser analyzer of erythrocyte deformability]

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Hematology
• Optical Physics

Context:

• Erythrocyte (red blood cell) deformability is a critical indicator of blood rheology.
• Pathological changes in red blood cells significantly impact blood flow and oxygen delivery.
• Accurate measurement of erythrocyte deformation is essential for understanding various diseases.

Purpose:

• To develop and validate a novel analyzer for quantifying erythrocyte deformation.
• To establish a method for assessing the distribution of red blood cells based on their degree of deformation.
• To investigate the potential of this analyzer in clinical diagnostics.

Summary:

• An analyzer for erythrocyte deformation has been developed, enabling the distribution of cells by deformation degree.
• It operates on the principle of registering small-angle laser light dispersion from individual erythrocytes passing through a narrow capillary.
• The system comprises optical-electronic, sample insertion, signal transformation, and information processing units.

Impact:

• The analyzer provides a quantitative measure of erythrocyte deformability.
• It has been successfully tested with model suspensions, normal, and pathological blood samples.
• Potential applications include the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of diseases affecting blood rheological properties.