Biological Fluid Filtration System

Abstract

A biological fluid filtration system for scanning a biological fluid so as to filter potentially undesirable constituents from the biological fluid for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The biological fluid filtration system generally includes a fluid receiving device adapted to receive a biological fluid. A valve including an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet is fluidly connected to the fluid receiving device. The biological fluid within the fluid receiving device is scanned by a scanner to produce scanned data relating to the biological fluid. A control unit in communication with the scanner and the valve receives the scanned data and controls the valve based on the scanned data. The valve is controlled to direct the biological fluid through either the first or second outlet of the valve depending upon the constituents of the biological fluid identified by the control unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable biological fluid filtration system, comprising:
 a housing including an inlet, wherein the inlet of the housing is adapted to receive a biological fluid;   a fluid filtration device fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing, wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to receive the biological fluid, wherein the fluid filtration device includes an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, and wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to direct the biological fluid through the first outlet if the fluid filtration device determines that the biological fluid includes an undesirable constituent; and   a cartridge removably connected to the housing, wherein the cartridge is fluidly connected to the first outlet of the fluid filtration device, and wherein the cartridge is adapted to receive the biological fluid if the biological fluid includes an undesirable constituent.   
     
     
         2 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an outlet fluidly connected to the second outlet of the fluid filtration device. 
     
     
         3 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to direct the biological fluid through the second outlet if the fluid filtration device determines that the biological fluid does not include an undesirable constituent. 
     
     
         4 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein the outlet of the housing is not fluidly connected to a source of the biological fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an internal power source. 
     
     
         6 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes at least one indicator configured to convey an operational status of the fluid filtration device. 
     
     
         7 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a buffer fluid insert, and wherein the buffer fluid insert is adapted to apply a buffer fluid to the biological fluid within the fluid filtration device. 
     
     
         8 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 7 , wherein the buffer fluid is comprised of a red blood cell lysis buffer. 
     
     
         9 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to apply an anti-coagulant to the biological fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the biological fluid is selected from the group consisting of saliva, urine, stool, peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid, lymphatic fluid, and ascites fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the undesirable constituent is comprised of a healthy cell. 
     
     
         12 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the undesirable constituent is comprised of a malignant cell. 
     
     
         13 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the undesirable constituent is comprised of a circulating tumor cell. 
     
     
         14 . A portable biological fluid filtration system, comprising:
 a housing including an inlet, wherein the inlet of the housing is adapted to receive a biological fluid;   a fluid filtration device fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing, wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to receive the biological fluid, wherein the fluid filtration device includes a fluid receiving device, wherein the fluid filtration device includes an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, and wherein the fluid filtration device is adapted to direct the biological fluid through the first outlet if the fluid filtration device determines that the biological fluid includes an undesirable constituent;   a presorting device fluidly connected to the inlet of the fluid filtration device, and wherein the presorting device is adapted to remove a first constituent from the biological fluid; and   a cartridge removably connected to the housing, wherein the cartridge is fluidly connected to the first outlet of the fluid filtration device, and wherein the cartridge is adapted to receive the biological fluid if the biological fluid includes an undesirable constituent.   
     
     
         15 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 14 , wherein the presorting device is adapted to apply a chemical agent to the biological fluid to remove the first constituent from the biological fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 15 , wherein the housing includes a buffer fluid inlet for receiving the chemical agent, and wherein the buffer fluid inlet is fluidly connected to the presorting device. 
     
     
         17 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a waste fluid outlet for disposing of the chemical agent after the chemical agent has been applied to the biological fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid receiving device is comprised of a microfluidic channel. 
     
     
         19 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid receiving device is comprised of a microwell array. 
     
     
         20 . The portable biological fluid filtration system of  claim 14 , wherein the first constituent is comprised of a healthy cell.