Objective: Cell counting and characterization is fundamental for medicine, science and technology. Coulter-type microfluidic devices are effective and automated systems for cell/particle analysis, based on the electrical sensing zone principle. However, their throughput and accuracy are limited by coincidences (i.e., two or more particles passing through the sensing zone nearly simultaneously), which reduce the observed number of particles and may lead to errors in the measured particle properties. In this work, a novel approach for coincidence resolution in microfluidic impedance cytometry is proposed.
Methods: The approach relies on: (i) a microchannel comprising two electrical sensing zones and (ii) a model of the signals generated by coinciding particles. Maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimation is used to identify the model parameters and therefore characterize individual particle properties.
Results: Quantitative performance assessment on synthetic data streams shows a counting sensitivity of 97% and a positive predictive value of 99% at concentrations of 2×106 particles/ml. An application to red blood cell analysis shows accurate particle characterization up to a throughput of about 2500 particles/s. An original formula providing the expected number of coinciding particles is derived, and good agreement is found between experimental results and theoretical predictions.
Conclusion: The proposed cytometer enables the decomposition of signals generated by coinciding particles into individual particle contributions, by using a Bayesian approach.
Significance: This system can be profitably used in applications where accurate counting and characterization of cell/particle suspensions over a broad range of concentrations is required.