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Field-Portable Leukocyte Classification Device Based on Lens-Free Shadow Imaging Technique
Dongmin Seo1,2, Euijin Han1, Samir Kumar1
1Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Korea.
Insights
A novel method combines magnetic sorting and lens-free shadow imaging for portable leukocyte classification. This technique accurately identifies white blood cell types, offering a low-cost alternative for clinical diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Cellular Imaging
Background:
- Complete blood count (CBC) instruments are expensive and complex, limiting access in resource-limited settings.
- Existing on-chip blood cell tests lack innovation and rely on conventional methods.
- There is a need for accessible, portable, and accurate methods for leukocyte analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a portable method for selective isolation and classification of leukocytes.
- To utilize lens-free shadow imaging technique (LSIT) for differential leukocyte identification.
- To establish shadow image analysis parameters for accurate cell classification.
Main Methods:
- Combined magnetically activated cell sorting and differential density for leukocyte isolation.
- Employed lens-free shadow imaging technique (LSIT) for high-purity leukocyte samples.
- Developed and applied shadow parameters (e.g., "order ratio", "minimum ratio") for leukocyte classification.
Main Results:
- Achieved high purity and concentration of isolated leukocytes, confirmed by flow cytometry.
- Established a shadow image library for classifying three types of leukocytes.
- Demonstrated high correlation (0.98 index) with clinical data, with 6% average error and 95% confidence.
Conclusions:
- The developed LSIT-based method offers a promising, portable solution for leukocyte classification.
- This technique has significant potential for point-of-care diagnostics, especially for rare cell detection.
- The approach is suitable for diverse applications including biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and clinical fields.
Abstract:
The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most important clinical steps in clinical diagnosis. The instruments used for CBC are usually expensive and bulky and require well-trained operators. Therefore, it is difficult for medical institutions below the tertiary level to provide these instruments, especially in underprivileged countries. Several reported on-chip blood cell tests are still in their infancy and do not deviate from conventional microscopic or impedance measurement methods. In this study, we (i) combined magnetically activated cell sorting and the differential density method to develop a method to selectively isolate three types of leukocytes from blood and obtain samples with high purity and concentration for portable leukocyte classification using the lens-free shadow imaging technique (LSIT), and (ii) established several shadow parameters to identify the type of leukocytes in a complete leukocyte shadow image by shadow image analysis. The purity of the separated leukocytes was confirmed by flow cytometry. Several shadow parameters such as the "order ratio" and "minimum ratio" were developed to classify the three types of leukocytes. A shadow image library corresponding to each type of leukocyte was created from the tested samples. Compared with clinical reference data, a correlation index of 0.98 was obtained with an average error of 6% and a confidence level of 95%. This technique offers great potential for biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and clinical applications, especially where point-of-care detection of rare cells is required.
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