COMPACT BLOOD CULTURE APPARATUS

摘要

The present invention describes an apparatus for detecting biological activities in a large number of blood culture vials. The vials are placed in discrete disc-like segments comprising a drum and rotated about an axis. In one preferred embodiment, agitation results from placing the axis of rotation perpendicular to the force of gravity. The present invention allows for individual vial identification, and for the application of more than one non-invasive microorganism detection method including fluorescence and scattered photon migration. Only a single detection station for each method is required for each segment and a plurality of stations may share common components, reducing cost while increasing accuracy. The vials may be inserted into a segment using a quick disconnect method and a keying method is disclosed to guarantee the correct orientation of a vial once it is inserted.