Abstract: A particle analyzer includes a flow cell for enclosing a sample liquid containing particles in a sheathed flow to form a flat flow of the sample liquid; an exciting light source for emitting light for exciting fluorescence to irradiate the particle in the flat flow; a capturing device for capturing a fluorescent image of the particle when the particle reaches a predetermined position of the flat flow, the exciting light source and the capturing device being disposed so that a capturing optical axis of the capturing device is perpendicular to a surface of the flat flow and orthogonal to a light emitting optical axis of the exciting light source; and a shutter device for allowing the capturing device to receive the fluorescence from the particle for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A particle analyzer comprising a one-dimensional image sensor for producing imaging signals by scanning a particle in a flow of specimen containing particle components such as blood and urine in a flat sheath flow thin in thickness in the light emitting direction and broad in the direction orthogonal to the light emitting direction, and a signal processing device for processing the signals and operating on the basis of the imaging signals from the one-dimensional image sensor. A particle analyzer excellent in analyzing capability for obtaining morphological information of particles in the liquid specimen flowing in a flow cell in real time is presented. Besides, by emitting light to a flowing particle, the transmitted light image is focused on the one-dimensional image sensor (line sensor), and the detected image signal from the line sensor is further processed in detail in the signal processing device.

Abstract: An imaging flow cytometer includes a flow path such as a transparent tube for allowing subject particles to move in a separate fluidity, the subject particles being present in a sample liquid, a light source for applying light to the subject particles which flow through the transparent tube, a beam splitter for distributing to two optical paths image light obtained from each of the subject particles irradiated with the light, a capturing device which has a light receiving surface on which an image is formed, projectors for magnifying at different magnification powers each image light distributed by the beam splitter and forming an image on respective portions of the light receiving surfaces of the capturing device, and an image processor for storing and displaying images of particles captured by the capturing device.

Abstract: A particle analyzer includes a flow cell for enclosing an electrolyte flow containing particles in a sheathed flow, the flow cell including a first and second cells which are interconnected through an orifice, the sheathed flow flowing through the orifice from the first cell to the second cell, a first and second electrodes provided in the first and second cells, respectively and a voltage application device for applying voltage between the first and second electrodes. The particle analyzer further includes a resistance detection device for detecting a variation of electric resistance between the first and second electrodes when the particle passes through the orifice to output the detected variation as a resistance detection signal. A first diameter calculation device is included for calculating each diameter of the particles based on the detected variation of electric resistance.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing particles at high precision capable of obtaining informations in real time such as morphological informations and fluorescence image of cells (particles) contained in a sample liquid such as blood and urine. It comprises a flow cell (18) for forming a flat sample liquid flow (20), a light source (10) for emitting light to the sample liquid flow, an image intensifier (34) for amplifying particle fluorescence image emitted from the broader side of the sample liquid flow, a line sensor (36) for scanning the fluorescence image amplified by the image intensifier and issuing imaging signal (Sf (i)) in every scanning i, and a signal processing device (42) for processing signals or operating on the basis of the imaging signal (Sf (i)) from the line sensor.

Abstract: A device for identifying the kind of each particle detected by a particle detecting device such as imaging flow cytometer from detection signals obtained by passing therethrough a specimen, such as blood, in which various kinds of particles (blood corpuscles) exist intermixedly. Distribution characteristics (mean value, distribution width, etc.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing particles capable of obtaining the morphological information or absorption information of particles such as cells in a liquid sample or particles moving in a fluid in real time. As a photo detector, a photo sensor array comprising photo detecting elements (photo sensors) in a row is used, and detection signal groups delivered parallel from the elements (photo sensors) are processed in parallel in a signal processing device, thereby obtaining characteristic parameters of particles moving at high speed, concerning morphology, light absorption (extinction) or the like, in real time.

Abstract: A particle image analyzing apparatus including, a flow cell for enclosing a solution containing a particle to be analyzed in a sheathed flow to form the solution into a sample solution flow, an irradiation optical system for emitting light to irradiate the sample solution flow, a one dimension image sensor for receiving the light transmitted through the particle to scan the particle and output an image signal, an optical deflection device, including a variable deflection angle, for deflecting the emitted light introduced into the sample solution flow, a controller for controlling the deflection angle of the optical deflection device to permit the emitted light to optically track and irradiate the particle, and a signal processor for processing the output image signal of the image sensor to analyze the particle.

Abstract: An imaging flow cytometer for capturing images and, analyzing particle components in a liquid sample containing particle components such as blood and urine, or microparticles such as organic high molecules in a suspension. A video camera of a vertical split scanning type is used in the optical system of a conventional particle imaging type flow cytometer. Using the video camera which is capable of scanning a certain limited range in the vertical direction repeatedly in one field period, the number of particles that can be imaged in unit time may be notably increased as compared with the case of using a conventional video camera. By thus constructing, in a flow cytometer possessing a still picture imaging function, the number of captured particles can be increased.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing particle images by passing a sample liquid containing blood corpuscles, cells, microorganisms and other particles in a sheath flow, detecting the target particles, and taking the still images thereof efficiently in a simple construction. A sample containing fluorescence dyed particles is passed in a flow cell, the particles in the flow cell are irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, and the fluorescence emitted from the particles is detected by a photo detector to judge whether they are target particles or not in the particle passing judging circuit, and the white images or fluorescent images of the target particles are taken.

Abstract: A particle image analyzing apparatus including, a flow cell for enclosing a solution containing a particle to be analyzed in a sheathed flow to form the solution into a sample solution flow, an irradiation optical system for emitting light to irradiate the sample solution flow, a one dimension image sensor for receiving the light transmitted through the particle to scan the particle and output an image signal, an optical deflection device, including a variable deflection angle, for deflecting the transmitted light introduced to the image sensor, a controller for controlling the deflection angle of the optical deflection device such that the image sensor optically tracks the particle, and a signal processor for processing the output image signal of the image sensor to analyze the particle.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging and analyzing particle components in a sample liquid flow containing particle components such as blood and urine, or fine particles of organic high polymer in suspension or the like. A conventional particle imaging flow cytometer is combined with a light source such as a lamp with small coherence, and an image intensifier with gate function of high response, so that a clear particle image without a deflection or interference fringe is obtained. Thus, in the apparatus having the still imaging function, by using the image intensifier with a high speed gate function, even with a light source of a long luminous time such as a lamp, a clear still image of a particle flowing at high speed is obtained.

Abstract: In an apparatus for extracting individual cell images in an original imaged frame by means of windows and storing the extracted individual cell images in an editing memory, a window setting memory is constituted by a plurality of bits corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of the cell images. Coordinates of each pixel in the imaged frame are used as addressed of the window setting memory.

Abstract: A white-light image and a fluorescent image are capable of being captured by a single video camera, and a single light source for producing exciting light is used to pick up the fluorescent image and monitor arrival of particles to the image capturing area. Specifically, besides a strobe light source, a light source, the output of which normally is low, is provided for exciting fluorescence and for monitoring cell flow-through. An image intensifier is used in the light-receiving system of the fluorescent image and is supplied with a voltage the size and timing of which are controlled in such a manner that the irradiation of a cell with the strobe light when the white-light image is captured will not have an adverse effect upon the aforementioned light-receiving system. This makes it possible to pick up two images each in a different zone on the light-receiving surface of image capturing means.

Abstract: A particle image analyzer includes a first light source for applying strobe light to a sample solution flowing through a flow cell, first image pick-up means for taking a still picture of a particle in the sample solution irradiated by the first light source, a second light source for constantly irradiating the sample solution in the flow cell, and second image pick-up means for picking up an image of the sample solution in the flow cell irradiated by the second light source. When a particle is detected from the image pick-up data from the second image pick-up means, the first light source is flashed, based upon detection of the particle, in a predetermined image pick-up interval of the first image pick-up means.

Abstract: A flow imaging cytomer for imaging the dimensions and shapes of particle components in a flow of a specimen solution has a slender filament serving as a focusing reference provided in a flat imaging zone through which the specimen solution flows in order for the particle components to be imaged. By imaging the filament-shaped focusing reference and adjusting position in accordance with the sharpness of an image of the reference, the particle components in the specimen solution can be brought into sharp focus.

Abstract: An imaging flow cytometer is provided with a continuous-emission light source for continuously monitoring cells passing through the image capturing area of a video camera for cell-image capturing, and with an excitation light source for picking up a fluorescent image of a cell. When a line sensor monitoring cell passage through the cytometer senses such cell passage, the cell is irradiated with strobe light and then, after waiting for the cell to move a fixed distance, with the excitation light. Thus, a particle analyzer is provided in which an image by white light resulting from the strobe light and a fluorescent image resulting from the excitation light can be captured simultaneously by a single video camera in either upper and lower halves or right and left halves of one imaged frame.

Abstract: Cells are imaged, digitized and binarized pixel by pixel, after which cell identification codes for each of the cells in the image field are derived from information indicative of the edges of the cells. Various cell image parameters such as cumulative chromaticity information, chromaticity histograms, cumulative gradient information and gradient histograms relates to a large number of cells are calculated from the cell identification codes. These parameters make it possible to classify the cells.

Abstract: A flow imaging cytometer for imaging the dimensions and shapes of particle components in a flow of a specimen solution employs a separate control solution, which is for managing precision, containing standard particles. A method of adjusting focal point with respect to the specimen flow includes steps of imaging the standard particles in the control solution, calculating an evaluation parameter which represents the definition of the image, and moving the flow cell or associated optical system so as to maximize the value of this parameter.

Abstract: In an apparatus for extracting individual cell images in an original imaged frame by means of windows and storing the extracted individual cell images in an editing memory, a window setting memory is constituted by a plurality of bits corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of the cell images. Coordinates of each pixel in the imaged frame are used as addressed of the window setting memory.