Method of and apparatus for differentiating between normal and malignant cells
US4131800A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 1977 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/6445
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The normality of a cell labelled with a lipid soluble fluorescent dye and excited with a beam of polarized light can be evaluated by measuring the time dependence of the state of polarization of fluorescence emitted by the cell which is determined by simultaneously measuring the intensities of fluorescence polarized in directions parallel and perpendicular to the direction of polarization of the excitation beam. The state of polarization of a cell changes markedly as a function of excitation time when the cell is abnormal (i.e., malignant), while the state of polarization of a cell remains substantially constant when the cell is normal. Classification of cells in a population by way of the stability of the state of polarization provides guidance in determining the presence of malignancy in the population.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.