Smart Palm-size Optofluidic Hematology Analyzer Enables POCT of Patients’ Blood Cells

Developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT, Heilongjiang, China), this innovative analyzer integrates a miniature fluorescence microscope, typically used in neuroscience and behavioral research, with a microfluidic platform. This design significantly reduces the analyzer's size and weight, resulting in a device that measures 35 × 30 × 80 mm and weighs only 39 g, making it substantially lighter than conventional flow cytometers. The analyzer combines image processing with leukocyte counting algorithms to enhance leukocyte information and accurately determine their concentration.

The effectiveness of the proposed analyzer was validated by comparing its leukocyte concentration measurements with those of a standard hemocytometer using Passing-Bablok analysis, achieving a correlation coefficient of 0.979. A Bland-Altman analysis further confirmed the analyzer’s reliability, establishing a 95% limit of agreement ranging from -0.93×10³ to 0.94×10³ cells/μL. The analyzer's error rate in calculating leukocyte concentration was found to be less than 10%, meeting the accuracy standards set by both the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (NEQAS) and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA-88). The development of this palm-size optofluidic hematology analyzer is expected to facilitate the POCT of blood cells outside traditional hospital or laboratory settings, thus enhancing medical diagnosis in remote or underserved areas.

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