Apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow

Abstract

An apparatus for imaging and analyzing particle components in a sample liquid flow containing particle components such as blood and urine, or fine particles of organic high polymer in suspension or the like. A conventional particle imaging flow cytometer is combined with a light source such as a lamp with small coherence, and an image intensifier with gate function of high response, so that a clear particle image without a deflection or interference fringe is obtained. Thus, in the apparatus having the still imaging function, by using the image intensifier with a high speed gate function, even with a light source of a long luminous time such as a lamp, a clear still image of a particle flowing at high speed is obtained.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow, the liquid flow forming a sheath flow by passing a sheath of liquid around a sample flow containing particles to be detected, emitting light to the sample flow, detecting light signals from the particles, processing the signals in a signal processing unit, and analyzing the particles, comprising: a light source for illuminating particles by emitting incoherent light which does not induce interference, to a sample flow region of the liquid flow;   an image intensifier for receiving the transmitted light of the particles in the sample flow region, for intensifying an input, feeble image, and producing a bright image, said image intensifier having a shutter;   a video camera for capturing the image of the image intensifier and generating a video signal;   an image processing unit for processing the video signal from the video camera;   a signal processing unit; and   detecting means for detecting the existence of particles in the sample flow region and generating a particle signal S1; wherein:   the image intensifier is an image intensifier provided with a high speed gate; and   the signal processing unit generates a trigger signal S2 for emitting the light from the light source for illuminating a particle on the basis of the detection of the particle signal S1, and while the light source is radiating, generating a gate signal S3 for opening the shutter of the image intensifier.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow of claim 1, wherein the light source for illuminating particles is always radiated, and the signal processing unit generates the gate signal S3 for opening the shutter of the image intensifier on the basis of the detection of the particle signal S1. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow for forming a sheath flow by passing a sheath of liquid around a sample flow containing particles to be detected, emitting light to the sample flow, detecting light signals from the particles, processing the signals in a signal processing unit, and analyzing the particles, comprising: a light source for illuminating particles for emitting incoherent light to a sample flow region of the liquid flow;   spectral means for dividing the transmitted light of the particles in the sample flow region into components of three wavelength regions of red, green and blue;   a plurality of image intensifiers for receiving the transmitted light from a respective one the divided three components, each image intensifier having a shutter;   a plurality of video cameras for capturing the images of a respective image intensifier and each generating a video signal;   an image processing unit for processing the video signals from the video cameras as signals R, G, B;   a signal processing unit; and   detecting means for detecting the existence of particles in the sample flow region and generating a particle signal S1; wherein;   the image intensifier is an image intensifier provided with a high speed gate; and   the signal processing unit generates a trigger signal S2 for emitting the light from the light source for illuminating a particle on the basis of the detection of the particle signal S1, and while the light source is being radiated, generating a gate signal S3 for opening the shutters of the image intensifiers.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow of claim 3, wherein the light source for illuminating particles is always radiated, and the signal processing unit generates the gate signal S3 for opening the shutters of the image intensifiers on the basis of the detection of the particle signal S1. .Iadd.5. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow, the liquid flow forming a sheath flow by passing a sheath of liquid around a sample flow containing particles to be detected, emitting light to the sample flow, detecting light signals from the particles, processing the signals and analyzing the particles, comprising: a light source for illuminating particles by emitting light to a sample flow region of the liquid flow;   an image intensifier for receiving light of the particles in the sample flow region, for intensifying an input, feeble image, and producing a bright image, said image intensifier having a shutter;   a video camera for capturing the image of the image intensifier and generating a video signal;   an image processing unit for processing the video signal from the video camera; and   a signal processing unit wherein: the image intensifier is an image intensifier provided with a high speed gate; and   the signal processing unit generates a gate signal for opening the shutter     
     
     
        of the image intensifier. .Iaddend..Iadd.6.  An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow, the liquid flow forming a sheath flow by passing a sheath of liquid around a sample flow containing particles to be detected, emitting light to the sample flow, detecting light signals from the particles, processing the signals, and analyzing the particles, comprising: a light source for illuminating particles by emitting light to a sample flow region of the liquid flow;   an image intensifier for receiving light of the particles in the sample flow region, for intensifying an input, feeble image, and producing a bright image, said image intensifier having a shutter;   a video camera for capturing the image of the image intensifier and generating a video signal;   an image processing unit for processing the video signal from the video camera;   a signal processing unit; and   detecting means for detecting the existence of particles in the sample flow region and generating a particle signal wherein: the image intensifier is an image intensifier provided with a high speed gate; and   the signal processing unit generates a gate signal for opening the shutter     
     
     
        of the image intensifier. .Iaddend..Iadd.7.  An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow of claim 6, wherein the light source for illuminating particles is always radiated, and the signal processing unit generates the gate signal for opening the shutter of the image intensifier on the basis of the detection of the particle signal. .Iaddend..Iadd.8. An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow, the liquid flow forming a sheath flow by passing a sheath of liquid around a sample flow containing particles to be detected, emitting light to the sample flow, detecting light signals from the particles, processing the signals, and analyzing the particles, comprising: a light source for illuminating particles by emitting light to a sample flow region of the liquid flow;   an image intensifier for receiving light of the particles in the sample flow region, for intensifying an input, feeble image, and producing a bright image, said image intensifier having a shutter;   a video camera for capturing the image of the image intensifier and generating a video signal;   an image processing unit for processing the video signal from the video camera;   a signal processing unit; and   detecting means for detecting the existence of particles in the sample flow region and generating a particle signal wherein: the image intensifier is an image intensifier provided with a high speed gate; and   the signal processing unit generates a trigger signal for emitting the light from the light source for illuminating a particle on the basis of the detection of the particle signal, and while the light source is radiating, generating a gate signal for opening the shutter of the image     
     
     
        intensifier. .Iaddend..Iadd.9.  An apparatus for imaging particles in a liquid flow of claim 8, wherein the light source for illuminating particles is always radiated, and the signal processing unit generates the gate signal for opening the shutter of the image intensifier on the basis of the detection of the particle signal. .Iaddend.