An　optimized　optical　reader　was　developed　for　quantitative　fluorescence　detection　of　lateral　flow　immunoassay　in　point-of-care　test　(POCT).　Different　from　existing　readers　for　qualitative　test,　the　developed　reader　is　able　to　perform　quantitative　test　with　a　line-shaped　excitation　beam　to　obtain　the　distribution　of　fluorescence　signal　intensity　along　the　lateral　flow　strip.　To　reduce　system　complexity,　a　custom　Y-shaped　optical　fiber,　instead　of　one　set　of　optical　lenses,　was　adopted　to　couple　the　excitation　and　emission　channels.　A　high　power　Light　Emitting　Diode　(LED)　with　a　specific　wavelength　interfaced　with　one　of　the　two　split　ends　of　the　optical　fiber　for　excitation,　while　a　highly　sensitive　photodiode　with　the　other　split　end　for　detection.　A　linear　stage　with　high　resolution,　which　was　driven　by　a　step　motor,　was　incorporated　to　facilitate　strip　scanning.　Considering　the　inhomogeneous　nature　of　lateral　flow　immunoassay,　an　optimized　global　searching　algorithm　was　developed　to　identify　test　and　control　peaks　and　their　boundaries,　which　further　improves　reader＇s　sensitivity　and　specificity.　Finally,　a　calibration　model　was　built　into　the　reader　to　report　the　concentration　of　the　test　sample.　As　an　example,　quantitative　CRP　(C　-　reactive　protein)　test　was　performed　on　this　reader　achieving　a　reasonable　clinical　diagnostics　range　from　1　μg/mL　to　200　μg/mL.　With　its　machine　reading　function,　simplicity　and　relatively　low　cost,　the　optical　reader　could　play　an　important　role　in　POCT.　©　2015　IEEE.