Rapid cell-deformability sensing system based on slit-flow laser diffractometry with decreasing pressure differential

A slit-flow apparatus with a laser-diffraction method has been developed with significant advances in ektacytometry design, operation and data analysis. In the slit-flow ektacytometry, the deformation of red blood cells subjected to continuously decreasing shear stress in slit-flow can be quickly measured with adopting a laser-diffraction technique. Both the laser-diffraction image and pressure were measured with respect to time, which enable to determine the elongation index (EI) and the shear stress. The range of shear stress is 0-35 Pa and the measuring time is <2 min. The EI is determined from an isointensity curve in the diffraction pattern using an ellipse-fitting program. The present study proposed the deformability index (DI) as a new measure of the RBC deformability, which is defined as an integral area under the EI curve between 0 and τ ₁₀ (τ _w=0-10). The key advantage of this design is the incorporation of a disposable element that holds the blood sample, which enables the present system to be easily used in a clinical setting.