Quality control method

Abstract

A method of quality control to diagnose the cause of a malfunction of an instrument. The method uses measurements of the physical property of a sample to diagnose the cause of a malfunction of an instrument. The spatial position of a control product sample is analyzed. Alternatively, the spatial position of a statistically significant number of patient blood samples can be used. The method enables the monitoring of an instrument for problems associated with debris and noise caused by red cell lysis inefficiency; instrument reagents pump volume settings; instrument laser alignments; instrument gain settings; and flow noise caused by partial plugs, residual plugs or other flow problems. The method provides a more specific indication of the type and cause of an instrument malfunctioning than non specific flagging provided by prior art methods.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
     
     
         40 . A hematology control product for use in determining a malfunction of a hematology instrument comprising: 
 (a) at least a neutrophil subpopulation analog derived from a blood cell which has been treated so that it is resistant to degradation by lytic reagents used in hematological optical test procedures; and    (b) a bead.    
     
     
         41 . The hematology control product of  claim 40 , which further comprises lysable red blood cells.  
     
     
         42 . The hematology control product of  claim 41 , which further comprises at least three different leukocyte analogs.  
     
     
         43 . The hematology control product of  claim 42 , which further comprises at least four different leukocyte analogs.  
     
     
         44 . The hematology control product of  claim 43 , which further comprises an aqueous solution of a plasma substance.  
     
     
         45 . The hematology control product of  claim 44 , wherein said plasma substance is selected from the group consisting of cholesterol, cholesterol esters, lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol combined with phospholipids, lipoprotein cholesterol combined with albumin, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         46 . A hematology control product for use in determining a malfunction of a hematology instrument comprising: 
 (a) at least three different leukocyte subpopulation analogs derived from a blood cell which has been treated so that it is resistant to degradation by lytic reagents used in hematological optical test procedures; and    (b) a bead.    
     
     
         47 . The hematology control product of  claim 46 , which further comprises lysable red blood cells.  
     
     
         48 . The hematology control product of  claim 46 , which further comprises at least four different leukocyte analogs.  
     
     
         49 . The hematology control product of  claim 47 , which further comprises an aqueous solution of a plasma substance.  
     
     
         50 . The hematology control product of  claim 49 , wherein said plasma substance is selected from the group consisting of cholesterol, cholesterol esters, lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol combined with phospholipids, lipoprotein cholesterol combined with albumin, and mixtures thereof.