External sonication

Abstract

External sonication, which is a technique by which ultrasonic energy is applied externally to a cartridge containing the sample, is contemplated herein. External sonication can be performed by a sonicator external to a sample contained within a cartridge. The cartridge can include sonication particles to enhance sonication or cavitation within the sample. A sonication algorithm can also be used to increase sonication efficiency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cartridge, comprising:
 a cartridge wall having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface having a sonication probe head site;   a sample chamber enclosed by the cartridge wall and structured to store a patient sample; and   a sonication particle positioned within the sample chamber,   wherein when a sonication probe head is adjacent to or in physical contact with the sonication probe head site of the exterior surface of the cartridge wall, energy emitted by the sonication probe head causes the patient sample to come into contact with the sonication particle and the interior surface of the cartridge wall.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sample chamber is sealed. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sample chamber has a first portion that includes the sample chamber and the sonication particle and a second portion, wherein the first portion, the second portion or both have a mechanical securing element that releasably attaches the first portion to the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sample chamber includes a reagent. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sonication particle is a bead, rod, nanoparticle, or microsphere. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sonication particle includes metal, silica, glass, or a polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes multiple sonication particles positioned within the sample chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the multiple sonication particles each have a particle characteristic, and the particle characteristic of all of the multiple sonication particles are the same. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the multiple sonication particles each have a particle characteristic, and the particle characteristic of a first group of the multiple sonication particles is different than the particle characteristic of a second group of the multiple sonication particles. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sonication particle is positioned to move within the sample chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the sonication particle is adhered to the interior surface of the cartridge wall. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the sonication particle is coated in a reagent that adheres to the interior surface of the cartridge wall. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the reagent is dried Triton. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface of the cartridge wall includes a cavitation seeder. 
     
     
         15 . A method of sonicating a patient sample within a cartridge, comprising:
 causing a sonication particle to be placed into a sample chamber of the cartridge, the sample chamber defined by a chamber wall enclosing a cavity, the chamber wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface and the cavity storing a patient sample;   positioning a patient sample into the sample chamber;   causing a sonication probe head to be positioned adjacent to or in physical contact with a sonication probe head site on the exterior surface of the sample chamber; and   causing the sonication probe head to emit energy through the chamber wall from the exterior surface to the interior surface to cause the patient sample to contact the sonication particle and the interior surface of the chamber wall.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing multiple sonication particles to be placed into the sample chamber of the cartridge and causing the sonication probe head to emit energy through the chamber wall from the exterior surface to the interior surface to cause the patient sample to contact the multiple sonication particles and the interior surface of the chamber wall. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing the sonication particle to be placed into the sample chamber before the patient sample is positioned into the sample chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising coating the sonication particle with a reagent and drying the reagent before adding the sample into the sample chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein causing the sonication particle to adhere to the interior surface of the sample chamber by adhering the coating and drying the coating of the sonication particle before the patient sample is added to the sample chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing the sonication particle to adhere to the interior surface of the sample chamber before adding the patient sample.