Radisens’ breakthrough has come from several advances in highly sensitive photonic detection technology and narrow-band optical filters based on nanotechnology principles. Radisens has integrated this advanced filter and detector technology monolithically into miniature solid-state cytometric chips, resulting in highly integrated sensors that are sensitive to multiple narrow-band wavelengths. Our first product offering integrates 16 independent detectors and 8 narrow-band filters into a sensor the size of a thumbnail.

What It Replaces
This miniaturised platform replaces the large, costly, cumbersome and high maintenance detection systems used in today’s hematology analyzers and diagnostic instruments. These high performance instruments are almost exclusively based on a technique known as flow cytometry.

Incumbent systems vs. the miniature Radisens matchbox-sized detection platform.

Flow cytometry is a technique for analysing and counting microscopic cells, particles or molecules in a fluid. A hydro-dynamically focused stream of fluid is passed through a laser source which generates scattered light and fluorescence at multiple wavelengths. This light/fluorescence signature is unique to each assay and is detected by highly sensitive and selective optical detector systems. Today, these systems comprise a series of beam-splitters, large dichroic mirrors and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) that are expensive, require high maintenance and a trained operator, and are not robustly portable. Radisens miniature platform replaces all this, as the graphic above illustrates, introducing the concept of mobile handheld cytometry.

The Full Platform
The cytometric sensor forms the key enabling component of a detection platform. The full platform comprises:

• multi-channel cytometric sensor with integrated dichroic filters,
• electronic module for ease of integration into diagnostic equipment,
• powerful microprocessor running Radisens’ embedded software suite,
• application software across standard and custom assay offerings,
• advanced firmware algorithms to:
  • capture scattering and fluorescent signatures from the cytometric sensor,
  • filter known sample anomalies and background noise,
  • compensate for typical fluorochrome bleed-through,
  • perform complex pattern recognition for target analytes,
  • build individual cell/molecule/protein data for population analysis,
  • calibrate system performance,
  • abstract data into a readable format for the medical practitioner.

Multiple assays may be tested using the same cytometric sensor by selecting the pattern recognition algorithms that match the biological target under test.