Clinical Measurement of von Willebrand Factor by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Identification of von Willebrand factor (vWF) abnormalities in a variety of conditions is hampered by the limitations of currently available diagnostic tests. Although direct multimer visualization by immunoelectrophoresis is a commonly used method, it is impractical as a routine clinical test. In this study, we used a biophysical analysis tool, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), to measure vWF distributions. The goals were to develop a method that is quicker and simpler than vWF gel electrophoresis and to evaluate the potential of FCS as a clinical diagnostic technique.