Rapid test device having multiple heterogeneous diagnostic methods

Abstract

An embodiment includes a sample receiving region, a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions, and a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions. The embodiment also includes a first flow path that allows a portion of a liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the first diagnostic element. The embodiment also includes a second flow path that allows a portion of the liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the second diagnostic element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a sample receiving region;   a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions;   a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions;   a first flow path that allows a first portion of a liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the first diagnostic element; and   a second flow path that allows a second portion of the liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the second diagnostic element.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an impermeable housing, wherein the sample receiving region comprises an opening defined by the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a graphical element on the impermeable housing, wherein the graphical element is encoded with information associated with the first diagnostic element and the second diagnostic element. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first diagnostic element comprises a sample conveying portion that guides the first portion of the liquid to a colorimetric reacting region. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the one or more colorimetric analysis regions comprises a first colorimetric reaction area, a second colorimetric reaction area, and a hydrophobic area that are at least partially disposed between the first colorimetric reaction area and the second colorimetric reaction area. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure point element facilitating fluid communication along the first and second flow paths. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 a first device, comprising:
 a sample receiving region; 
 a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions; 
 a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions; 
 a first flow path that allows a first portion of a liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the first diagnostic element; and 
 a second flow path that allows a second portion of the liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the second diagnostic element; 
   an imaging device oriented to capture a visual image of an output produced by the first device; and   a processor and one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform the capture operation using the imaging device.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , the first device further comprising an impermeable housing, wherein the sample receiving region comprises an opening defined by the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the first device further comprising a graphical element on the impermeable housing, wherein the graphical element is encoded with information associated with the first diagnostic element and the second diagnostic element. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first diagnostic element comprises a sample conveying portion that guides the first portion of the liquid to a colorimetric reacting region. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more colorimetric analysis regions comprises a first colorimetric reaction area, a second colorimetric reaction area, and a hydrophobic area that are at least partially disposed between the first colorimetric reaction area and the second colorimetric reaction area. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , the first device further comprising a pressure point element facilitating fluid communication along the first and second flow paths. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a sample receiving region;   a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions;   a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions;   a first flow passageway comprising hydrophilic material between the sample receiving region and the first diagnostic element;   a second flow passageway comprising hydrophilic material between the sample receiving region and the second diagnostic element; and   a flow barrier that repels liquid between a portion of the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising an impermeable housing, wherein the sample receiving region comprises an opening defined by the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a graphical element on the housing, wherein the graphical element is encoded with information associated with the first diagnostic element and the second diagnostic element. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first diagnostic element comprises a sample conveying portion that guides liquid from the first flow passageway to the one or more colorimetric analysis regions. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more colorimetric analysis regions comprises a first colorimetric reaction area, a second colorimetric reaction area, and a hydrophobic area that at least partially disposed between the first colorimetric reaction area and the second colorimetric reaction area. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a pressure point element facilitating fluid communication along the first and second flow passageways. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a sample receiving region;   a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions;   a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions; and   a multiplex flow path that receives liquid deposited at the sample receiving region, allows a first portion of the liquid to flow to the first diagnostic element, and allows a second portion of the liquid to flow to the second diagnostic element.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising an impermeable housing, wherein the sample receiving region comprises an opening defined by the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising a machine-readable identifier on the housing, wherein the machine-readable identifier is encoded with information associated with a type of apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first diagnostic element comprises a sample conveying portion that guides the first portion of the liquid to a colorimetric reacting region. 
     
     
         23 . A system comprising:
 a rapid test device comprising:
 a housing having a graphical element visible thereon; 
 a sample receiving region; 
 first and second diagnostic elements supported by the housing; 
 wherein the first diagnostic element and the second diagnostic element perform mutually different analyses, and 
 wherein at least one of the first diagnostic element and the second diagnostic element includes a colorimetric analysis region; and 
 a hydrophobic structure that defines a first flow path from the sample receiving region to the first diagnostic element and defines a second flow path from the sample receiving region to the second diagnostic element; and 
   a processor and one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 capturing an image of the housing including the graphical element; and 
 executing at least one data processing function on the captured image, wherein the data processing function comprises comparing a color attributes at a readout region in the captured image to color references in the captured image to determine at least one chemical attribute of a test sample. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the test sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, plasma, serum, lymph, urine, saliva, semen, amniotic fluid, gastric fluid, phlegm, sputum, mucus, tears, stool, and water. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 decoding at least a portion of the graphical element to obtain a remote data storage location; and   transmitting data regarding the at least one chemical attribute of the test sample to the remote data storage location.