Diagnostics systems and methods

Abstract

A point-of-care diagnostic system that includes a cartridge and a reader. The cartridge can contain a patient sample, such as a blood sample. The cartridge is inserted into the reader and the patient sample is analyzed. The reader contains various analysis systems, such as an electrophoresis detection system that uses electrophoresis testing to identify and quantify various components of the blood sample. The reader can process data from the various patient sample analysis to provide interpretative results indicative of a disorder, condition, disease and/or infection of the patient.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, on an electrophoresis strip, a patient sample having a component and a component sub-type;   applying an electrically-applied parameter to the electrophoresis strip to generate optically detectable bands for the component and the component sub-type;   detecting the optically detectable bands on the electrophoresis strip;   generating band detection data based on the optically detectable bands;   analyzing the band detection data to determine one or more band detection characteristics for the optically detectable bands for the component and the component sub-type;   identifying a component and a component sub-type in the patient sample based on the one or more band detection characteristics of the band detection data;   determining a relative proportion of the optically detectable bands for the component and the component sub-type; and   outputting one or both of the component sub-type and the relative proportion of the optically detectable bands for the component and the component sub-type.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient sample includes a patient blood sample. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optically detectable bands includes multiple bands that correspond to respective multiple component sub-types. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining the relative proportion of each of the multiple bands that corresponds to respective multiple component sub-types, and   outputting the relative proportion of each of the multiple bands with the component sub-type.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 measuring a spacing between the multiple bands, and   outputting the measured spacing with the component sub-type.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optically detectable bands include multiple bands that correspond to respective multiple hemoglobin sub-types. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining the relative proportion of the multiple bands that correspond to multiple hemoglobin sub-types, and   outputting the relative proportion with the multiple hemoglobin sub-types.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring a spacing between the multiple bands, and   outputting the spacing with the component sub-type.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the component is hemoglobin and the component sub-type is a hemoglobin sub-type present in the patient sample. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optically detectable bands include multiple bands that correspond to respective multiple protein sub-types. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating diagnostic results that include the component sub-type, and   outputting the diagnostic results.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising outputting the diagnostic results to a display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising outputting the component sub-type and the relative proportion of the optically detectable bands for the component and the component sub-type to a display. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user input requesting the component sub-type, and   based on the received user input, transmitting the output to a display.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more band detection characteristics include a magnitude and location of the band detection data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting the optically detectable bands with a camera programmed to capture an image of the optically detectable bands and generate the band detection data based on the image. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-applied parameter is applied to the electrophoresis strip by decreasing the electrically-applied parameter from a higher, first value to a lower, second value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-applied parameter is variably applied to the electrophoresis strip. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-applied parameter is applied to the electrophoresis strip by increasing the electrically-applied parameter from a lower, first value to a higher, second value. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-applied parameter is applied to the electrophoresis strip at a series of levels. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the series of levels includes a first series having a voltage or current applied at a first magnitude for a first amount of time and a second series having a voltage or current applied at a second magnitude for a second amount of time, the first magnitude different than the second magnitude, and the first amount of time different than the second amount of time.