Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for analyzing a bodily sample. A sample carrier (22), which houses the bodily sample, includes at least one fluidic channel (120), at least one analysis chamber (68), and a receptacle (92) that houses a diluent. A pump system (150) pumps the diluent from the receptacle (92) into the fluidic channel (120) in a first fluid flow direction, and subsequently, pumps the diluent and the bodily sample in a second fluid flow direction, which is a reverse of the first fluid flow direction, to thereby mix the diluent and the bodily sample within the receptacle (92). Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for determining a property of a bodily sample, using a microscope and optical-density-measurement apparatus. A sample carrier includes a microscopy sample chamber configured to receive a first portion of the sample and to facilitate imaging of the first portion of the sample by the microscope, and an optical-density-measurement chamber configured to receive a second portion of the sample, and to facilitate optical density measurements being performed by the optical-density-measurement apparatus upon the second portion of the sample. The sample carrier includes an upper surface and a lower surface. At least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the sample carrier is defined by a glass sheet, and the other surface is defined by a molded component. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including measuring a measurand within a first portion of a bodily sample, measuring relative amounts of first and second components within a second portion of the bodily sample that is diluted relative to the first portion of the bodily sample, and determining a parameter of the bodily sample based upon the measurand within the first portion of the bodily sample and the relative amounts of first and second components within the second portion of the bodily sample. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including acquiring first and second images of a blood sample at respective times and determining whether, between acquisitions of the first and second images, there was motion of an entity, by comparing the first and second images to one another. At least partially in response thereto, the entity is identified, and an output is generated on the output device, at least partially in response to identification of the entity. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with a blood sample and a display, including acquiring a plurality of images of a microscopic imaging field of the blood sample, each of the images being acquired using respective, different imaging conditions. An artificial color microscopic display image of the microscopic imaging field is generated having a similar appearance to that of a color smear image, by mapping the plurality of images to respective channels of the artificial color microscopic display image. A display is driven to display the artificial color microscopic display image of the microscopic imaging field to a user. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for determining a property of a bodily sample using a microscope and optical-density-measurement apparatus, the apparatus including a sample carrier that includes a plurality of microscopy sample chambers configured to receive a first portion of the sample and to facilitate imaging of the first portion of the sample by the microscope, each of the microscopy sample chambers having an upper and a lower surface, and having respective heights between the upper and lower surfaces that are different from each other. The sample carrier includes at least one optical-density-measurement chamber configured to receive a second portion of the sample, and to facilitate optical density measurements being performed optical-density-measurement apparatus upon the second portion of the sample. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with an output device, and a blood sample that was drawn from a subject. A microscope system acquires first and second images of the blood sample at respective times. A computer processor determines whether, between acquisitions of the first and second images, there was relative motion between at least one erythrocyte within the sample and at least one entity within the sample, by comparing the first and second images to one another. At least partially in response thereto, the computer processor determines whether the entity is an extra-erythrocytic or an intra-erythrocytic entity, and generates an output on the output device, at least partially in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with a blood sample. Using a microscope (24), three images of a microscopic imaging field of the blood sample are acquired, each of the images being acquired using respective, different imaging conditions, and the first one of the three images being acquired under violet-light brightfield imaging. Using at least one computer processor (28), an artificial color microscopic image of the microscopic imaging field is generated, by mapping the first one of the three images to a red channel of the artificial color microscopic image, mapping a second one of the three images to a second color channel of the artificial color microscopic image, and mapping a third one of the three images to a third color channel of the artificial color microscopic image. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including measuring hematocrit within a blood sample, by performing a first measurement on a first portion of the blood sample. Mean corpuscular volume in the blood sample is measured, by performing a second measurement on a second portion of the blood sample, the second portion being diluted with respect to the first portion. A red blood cell count per unit volume within the blood sample is determined by dividing the hematocrit measured within the first portion by the mean corpuscular volume measured within the second portion. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including placing a first portion of a biological sample into a source sample portion chamber of a sample carrier, and placing a second portion of the biological sample into a diluted sample portion chamber. The second portion of the biological sample is diluted with respect to the first portion of the biological sample. Using an optical measurement device, a bulk-level measurand of the sample that relates to a parameter of the biological sample as a whole is measured, by performing a measurement upon the first portion of the biological sample. Microscopic images of the second portion of the biological sample are acquired. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including a digital camera, and a computer processor configured to drive the digital camera to acquire, for each of a plurality of imaging fields of a stained bodily sample, three or more digital images. At least one of the images is a brightfield image and at least two of the images are fluorescent images, each of the fluorescent images being acquired using respective first and second filters, which are different from each other. The computer processor performs image processing on the digital images, by extracting visual classification features from each of the three or more digital images, and identifies one or more entities that are contained within the bodily sample, based upon the image processing. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including successively acquiring a plurality of microscopic images of a portion of a blood sample, and tracking motion of pixels within the successively acquired microscopic images. Trypomastigote parasite candidates within the blood sample are identified, by identifying pixel motion that is typical of trypomastigote parasites. It is determined that the blood sample is infected with trypomastigote parasites, at least partially in response thereto. An output is generated indicating that that the blood sample is infected with trypomastigote parasites. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for analyzing a bodily sample. A microscope system acquires one or more microscope images of the bodily sample. A computer processor identifies elements as being candidates of a given entity, in the one or more images. The computer processor extracts, from the one or more images, at least one candidate-informative feature associated with the candidate, and at least one sample-informative feature that is indicative of contextual information related to the bodily sample. The computer processor processes the candidate-informative feature in combination with the sample-informative feature, and performs an action in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for determining a property of a bodily sample using a microscope and optical-density-measurement apparatus, the apparatus including a sample carrier that includes a plurality of microscopy sample chambers configured to receive a first portion of the sample and to facilitate imaging of the first portion of the sample by the microscope, each of the microscopy sample chambers having an upper and a lower surface, and having respective heights between the upper and lower surfaces that are different from each other. The sample carrier includes at least one optical-density-measurement chamber configured to receive a second portion of the sample, and to facilitate optical density measurements being performed optical-density-measurement apparatus upon the second portion of the sample. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including a sample carrier (22) configured to carry a portion of a bodily sample, at least a portion of the sample carrier being configured to fluoresce, at least under certain conditions. An optical measurement device (24) performs optical measurements upon the portion of the bodily sample that is housed within the sample carrier (22), and at least partially photobleaches an area within the portion of the sample carrier (22) by causing the area to fluoresce. By detecting that the area within the portion of the sample carrier (22) has been photobleached, an output is generated indicating that at least a portion of the sample carrier (22) is contaminated or that optical measurements cannot be performed on the portion of the sample carrier (22), or the optical measurement device (24) is prevented from performing optical measurements upon a sample portion housed within the given portion of the sample carrier (22).

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for analyzing a bodily sample. A microscope system acquires one or more microscope images of the bodily sample. A computer processor identifies elements as being candidates of a given entity, in the one or more images. At least one sample-informative feature, relating to a characteristic of the candidates of the given entity in the sample as a whole, is extracted from the one or more images. A characteristic of the sample is determined at least partially based upon the sample-informative feature, and an output is generated in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with a cell sample that includes a plurality of cells. A series of images associated with a series of depth levels of the cell sample are acquired, by performing a depth scan of cell sample with a microscope. One of the depth levels is identified as being an optimum focal plane for imaging one or more entities within the cell sample using the microscope, under a first illumination condition. The cell sample is imaged under a second illumination condition that is different from the first illumination condition, using the microscope, by focusing the microscope at an investigative depth level that is based on the identified depth level. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including placing a sample into a sample carrier that comprises a plurality of regions having upper and lower surfaces, having respective heights that are different from each other, and being configured such that cells form a monolayer, the monolayer within respective regions of the sample carrier having respective, different densities from each other, due to the respective regions of the sample carrier having respective heights that are different from each other. Microscopic images are acquired of each of the plurality of regions. Measurements are performed upon cell types that have a relatively high density upon microscopic images of a region of the sample chamber having a relatively low height, and measurements are performed upon cell types that have a relatively low density upon microscopic images of a region of the sample chamber having a relatively great height. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with a cell sample that includes a plurality of cells disposed in a monolayer. A series of images associated with a series of depth levels of the cell sample are acquired, by performing a depth scan of cell sample with a microscope. One of the depth levels is identified as being an optimum focal plane for imaging one or more entities within the cell sample using the microscope, by identifying that a drop in image contrast occurs at the identified depth level relative to the image contrast of images acquired at depth levels within a given range of distances from the identified depth level. The cell sample is imaged using the microscope, by focusing the microscope at an investigative depth level that is based on the identified depth level. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with a digital microscope unit that includes a digital microscope. A biological cell sample that is disposed within a sample carrier is received into the digital microscope unit. It is determined that there is a variation in the focal depth of the biological sample with respect to the microscope due to curvature in the sample carrier and/or due to tolerance in setup of the microscope. In response to determining that there is the variation in the focal depth of the biological sample with respect to the microscope, the variation in the focal depth of the biological sample with respect to the microscope is accounted for. Other applications are also described.