Fiber optic evanescent wave immunosensors for medical diagnostics

Immunodiagnostic sensors permit sensitive measurement of a wide variety of both high and low molecular mass analytes — serum analytes may be detected at picomolar concentrations. Due to the sensor monitoring antigen—antibody reactions directly, quantitative results are available within seconds to minutes of sample introduction. In recent years, the trend has been for immunodiagnostics to be used at sites away from centralized medical laboratories. Specific requirements associated with such use are being achieved by the development of optical devices incorporating evanescent wave sensors.