JPH05172828A - Automatic analyser - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a carry-over between respective reaction vessels without upgrading the cleaning accuracy by storing the already-used measurement items of respective reaction vessels as previous records, and performing the inspection of the same items for a specimen to be newly measured in the reaction vessel with the same previous records. CONSTITUTION:A first reagent corresponding to a measurement item is dispensed into such a reaction vessel 2 that the value of absorbance falls in between the upper and lower limits already set at the reagent dispensation position (b), followed by the transfer to the sample dispensation position (a). The specimen in a sample vessel 4 is dispensed into the vessel 2, and subsequently the vessel 2 in which the specimen and the first reagent are mixed together is agitated at the agitation position (h). The vessel 2 after agitated is colorimetry-measured at the optical measurement position (c) by an optical measurement device 7, followed by cleaning. In this case, the measurement items of the vessel 2 used for items, in which the accuracy relative to a carry-over is required, are stored in a control device 11 as previous records. Accordingly, when there is the same measurement items in the specimen which is to be measured after the next time, the program is changed in the device 11 in such a way that the reagent of the same measurement items as the previous records are dispensed, and consequently the vessel 2 with the same previous records is transferred stepwise.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer which employs a method of cleaning a used reaction container and reusing it, and particularly to a reaction container for measurement of a cancer tumor marker, opacity test or pH test. The present invention relates to an automatic analysis device capable of preventing carryover between spaces.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the method of cleaning a used reaction vessel and reusing it has been adopted in many automatic analyzers because of low running cost. The reason for this is that carryover between reaction vessels occurs depending on the cleaning accuracy and is cheap.
When measuring a cancer tumor marker, an opacity test, a pH test, or the like, extremely high cleaning accuracy is required.

This is because the measurement items are not the same for each sample and the automatic analyzer has a structure in which the samples are dispensed in order so as not to cause tooth loss in order to improve the operating efficiency. When measuring a new sample in the used reaction container, the measurement items do not always match, as a result, carryover easily occurs, and the measurement items already used and the measurement items of the new sample Then
This is because carryover may easily occur depending on the combination. In the former example, it is a cancer tumor marker, turbidity test or pH test, and measurement of bile acid. In the latter example, when measuring bile acid or free cholesterol in the same reaction vessel after MAO, or measuring fluxamine. This is a case where a combination such as a case where guanase is measured in the same reaction container after the above is performed.

In order to prevent such carry-over, there is no other choice but to configure the cleaning device with higher accuracy so that cross contamination does not occur. This would increase the size of the entire device and complicate the control system. However, there is a problem in that the cost increases and the running cost also increases.

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to perform, for example, a cancer tumor marker, an opacity test, a pH test, etc. without increasing the cleaning accuracy so much. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analyzer capable of preventing carry-over between reaction vessels during measurement.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an automatic analyzer in which a reaction container is sequentially transferred and controlled by a controller from a sampling position to a reagent dispensing position to an optical measurement position to a cleaning position. As a technical premise, the control device automatically stores and saves the measurement items that have already been used in each of the reaction vessels as a history, and the control device is configured to perform a new measurement using the same reaction vessel. ,
It is characterized in that the reaction container is transferred so that the same item test of the new sample is carried out in the reaction container having the same history.

Further, in the present invention, as another means for achieving the above object, the control device sequentially controls the transfer of the reaction container from the sampling position to the reagent dispensing position to the optical measurement position to the cleaning position. Based on the technical premise of an automatic analyzer, the control device automatically stores and saves the previously used measurement items of each reaction container as a previous history, and the control device uses the same reaction container to perform a new measurement. In the case of performing the above, and when there is a risk of carryover in the combination of the test item of the new sample and the previous history item, the analysis of the new sample is performed in a reaction container other than the reaction container having the previous history. The method is characterized in that the reaction container is transferred as in (1).

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, an automatic analyzer A according to this embodiment has a reaction container holder 1 formed in a ring shape.
50, which is detachably held in the reaction vessel Holter 1.
The reaction container 2 of the book and the reaction container holder 1 are rotationally controlled to transfer each reaction container 2 to each of a sample dispensing position a, a reagent dispensing position b, an optical measuring position c, and a washing position d. A driving device (not shown), a sampling device 5 for dispensing a required amount of sample from the sample container 4 into the reaction container 2 at the sample dispensing position a, and a reagent corresponding to the measurement item in the reaction container 2. Reagent pipette device 6 for pouring, and optical measuring device 7 for optically colorimetrically measuring the reaction coloring state of the sample and the reagent
And an electrolyte analyzer 8 for measuring the electrolyte of the sample supplied by the sampling device 5, and a cleaning device 9 for cleaning the inside of the reaction container 2 after the optical measurement. In the figure, reference numeral 10 is a power source, 11 is a control device, 12 is an operation unit, 14 is a temperature control device,
5 is a display device such as a CRT, 16 is a floppy disk driver into which a floppy disk for storing command data for controlling the automatic analyzer and analysis data is detachably inserted, 17 is a printer, and 18 is A reagent pump and a sampling pump 19 are shown, respectively.

The reaction container holder 1 is formed to have a substantially concave cross section so that the reaction container 2 can be held, and can be stepwise rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in FIG. 1 by a driving device such as a pulse motor. Drive control.

That is, the reaction container holder 1 dispenses the first reagent corresponding to the measurement item into the reaction container 2 at the reagent dispensing position b which is the starting point for starting the apparatus from the ready state, and then the reaction is performed. The container holder 1 is rotated clockwise by 17 containers (122.4 degrees) in FIG. 1 (hereinafter, this transfer state is referred to as the first step rotation), the reaction container 2 is transferred to the sample dispensing position a, and After a predetermined sample is dispensed into the reaction container 2 at the sample dispensing position a, the reaction container holder 1 is again placed in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 for 82 containers (590.4 degrees).
By rotating (hereinafter, this transfer state is referred to as the second step rotation), the reaction container 2 at the sample dispensing position a is advanced by one container (7.2 degrees) from the reagent dispensing position b, that is, By moving the reaction container 2 to the stirring position h and repeating this, as a result, the drive control is performed so as to intermittently transfer each reaction container 2 counterclockwise in FIG. The second reagent is dispensed into another reaction container 2 at the reagent dispensing position b when one reaction container 2 is set at the sample dispensing position a. Of course, the second step rotation may be set so as to advance counterclockwise in FIG. 1 by a distance of 68 containers (489.6 degrees). At this time, the reaction vessels 2 are intermittently transferred one by one in the clockwise direction in FIG.

On the other hand, the reaction container 2 is constructed in the same manner as a known transparent prismatic reaction container, and as described above, 50 reaction containers 2 are arranged in the reaction container holder 1 at regular intervals. Held in. Of course, in order to facilitate the attachment / detachment work of the reaction container 2 to / from the reaction container holder 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the reaction container 2 may be configured to be held in reaction container cassettes in groups of five. ..

The sample container 4 is made of a material such as synthetic resin and has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. A plurality of sample containers 4 are held by an endless belt-shaped chain 20. The sample container 4 is driven by a driving device (not shown). 4 is sequentially intermittently transferred to the sample suction position e. A label (not shown) is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the sample container 4 and the information (for example, patient registration number, examination type, hospital code, etc.) on the specimen is bar-coded and printed. ,
The information is read by the barcode reader R at the time of sampling and automatically input to the control device.

The sampling device 5 comprises an arm 5b, one end of which is supported by a shaft 5a, and a pipette 5c, which is arranged at the other end of the arm 5b. The pipette 5c is located at a sample suction position. After aspirating a required amount of the sample at e, the sample is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 to discharge the aspirated sample into the reaction container 2 at the sample dispensing position a, or rotate counterclockwise in FIG. It is configured to move to supply the sucked sample into the flow cell (not shown) at the sample dispensing position f of the electrolyte analyzer 8.

In this sample measuring system, the wicking system is filled with water, the sample and water are suctioned and measured in a state of being separated from each other via air, and then only the sample is discharged, and then the sample is washed from the inside. The inside of each pipette 5c is washed with water. The pipette 5c is provided with a suction amount confirmation device (not shown) having a known structure for confirming the suction amount of the sample or the like, and detects the absolute amount of the sample or the like each time sampling is performed. If the sample volume is insufficient, this will be corrected automatically.

As the above-mentioned electrolyte analyzer 8, a discrete electrolyte analyzer using a probe-type ion selective electrode and a reference electrode, a continuous flow electrolyte analyzer having a simple structure and easy operation, and the like are known. Although the electrolyte analyzer of the present invention can be applied, in the present embodiment, it is desirable to apply the electrolyte analyzer of the continuous flow system having a simple structure.

That is, the electrolyte analyzer 8 according to this embodiment.
(Not shown) has a cell chamber through which a sample diluted with a carrier liquid flows, an ion selective electrode and a reference electrode, and the sensitive surface of the ion selective electrode and the liquid junction of the reference electrode are exposed in the cell chamber. Flow cell section arranged in such a manner, means for sending the sample diluted with the carrier liquid so as to flow in the cell chamber, a signal processing section for processing an electrical output signal from the ion selective electrode, and a cleaning device. And are provided.

The ion electrode exposed facing the cell chamber may be one kind, but it is preferable to provide a plurality of kinds such as sodium, potassium and chlorine. As the carrier liquid, a standard liquid whose electrolyte concentration is adjusted to a predetermined value is usually used.

A reagent pipette device 6 for dispensing a reagent corresponding to a measurement item includes a reagent container holder 6a arranged in a ring shape on the outer periphery of the reaction container holder 1 and the reagent holder 6a in the clockwise direction in FIG. Is a drive device (not shown) for controlling rotation in the counterclockwise direction, a required number of first reagent containers 6c or second reagent containers 6d that are detachably installed in parallel in the reagent container holder 6a, 1 reagent aspirating position g ₁ or the second reagent aspirating position is g ₂ from the incoming reagent container 6c or the 6d on the sucking first or second reagent requirements reagent dispensing position b the reaction vessel 2 Reagent pipette 6 for dispensing the reagent aspirated into
e. The first reagent is kept cold at 8 ° C to 10 ° C by the first reagent cooler (not shown), and the second reagent is kept in the second reagent cooler (not shown).
Therefore, the temperature is always kept at 8 ° C to 10 ° C.

The reagent container holder 6a is controlled to rotate in the normal and reverse directions according to a command from the control device, and the reagent container 6 corresponding to the measurement item.
c or 6d is transferred to the reagent suction positions g ₁ and g ₂ .
The reagent suction positions g ₁ , g of the reagent container 6c or 6d
_As the transfer means to ₂ , it is possible to apply a known moving mechanism such as a slide rail and a step motor drive,
Further, each of the first and second reagent containers 6c or 6d to be set is set at a predetermined position and the type of the stored reagent is stored in the control device.

Next, the reagent pipette 6e is arranged at the other end of the arm 6g which rotates about the shaft 6f, and the reagent pipette 6e is transferred to the washing position after the reagent dispensing.
Cleaning work is performed.

The agitator 21 attached to the arm 6g is inserted into the reaction container 2 at a position h one container upstream from the reagent dispensing position b in synchronization with the reagent suction operation of the reagent pipette 6e. Then, the mixed liquid (sample) of the sample and the reagent in the reaction container 2 is stirred and mixed. Of course, this stirring body 2
1 is transferred to the cleaning position after the stirring work and subjected to the cleaning work.

The reagent measuring method is as follows. The wicking system is filled with distilled water, and the reagent and distilled water are suction-measured in a state of being separated from each other via air, and then only the reagent is released. After this, the inside of the reagent pipette 6e is washed from the inside through washing water, and the outside is washed with distilled water. Also,
The reagent pipette 6e is provided with a suction amount confirmation device (not shown) having a known configuration for confirming the suction amount of the reagent, and detects the absolute amount of the reagent each time the reagent suction operation is performed. When the reagent amount is insufficient, this is automatically corrected.

The optical measuring device 7 forming the detecting portion or the observation point includes all the reaction vessels 2 passing through the optical measuring position c.
It is a colorimetric measurement of the reaction state of the sample inside, and although it is not shown in detail in the figure, the light source and the measurement light from this light source are measured in the same manner as the configuration and operation of a known diffraction grating type optical measuring device. An optical system (not shown) that guides light through an optical fiber to irradiate the reaction container 2, a light dispersion element, and a light receiving element that receives the amount of light after the measurement light has passed through the reaction container 5 at predetermined wavelengths. The control device selects the absorbance value and the absorbance of the sample after the second reagent is dispensed from among these, and stores the data in the storage unit.

That is, the light quantity of the wavelength corresponding to the measurement item received by the light receiving element is converted into a voltage and the analysis value thereof is processed, a storage section for storing the measurement result, and an automatic analyzer. A data processing device including an operation unit / display for performing all operations and a printer performs arithmetic processing, and the result is output to the display device 15 or the printer 17 together with the reaction time course.

The washing device 9 is constructed in the same manner as a known multi-stage washing device having a washing water supply device 9a and a washing water draining device 9b. The washing operation by the washing device 9 is carried out at the reagent dispensing position b. In step 2, the second reagent is dispensed in synchronization with the dispensing timing. That is, in the cleaning work, in the first stage, the sample in the reaction container 2 after the optical measurement is aspirated and discarded, and in the second stage, cleaning water is supplied to stir and clean the inside of the reaction container 2, and the third stage Then, the cleaning water is aspirated and discarded, and in the fourth stage, the cleaning water is supplied again into the reaction vessel 2 to supply the cleaning water.
The inside is stirred and washed, and the fifth stage is configured to suck and discard the washing water. Of course, the number of cleanings is not limited to the two-stage cleaning as in this embodiment, and it is possible to set a larger number of cleanings according to the requirement of cleaning accuracy.

On the other hand, the control unit 11 is composed of a well-known microprocessor (MPU), drives and controls each of the above-mentioned mechanisms at a predetermined timing, and arithmetically processes the data measured by the optical measuring device 7. In order to prevent carry-over between the reaction containers 2 in the case of measuring a cancer tumor marker, a turbidity test, a pH test, or the like, in addition to controlling the output to a display device such as a CRT or a printer, The measurement item used for the first time in each reaction container 2 is automatically stored as a history.

When the control device 11 has the same measurement items as the previous history in the second and subsequent measurements,
The reaction container holder 1 is drive-controlled to transfer the reaction container 2 so as to dispense a sample having the same measurement items as the previous history after the second time into the reaction container 2 having the previous history.

That is, when there are, for example, 10 items of measurement items of the sample measured at the first time, and the 9th item of them is the turbidity test, the measurement items of the sample measured at the second time and thereafter. Is the 8th item, the 1st to 7th items are the measurement items that carry-over is not so concerned, and the 8th item is the turbidity test item, the reaction container holder 1 is the second item. The reaction container 2 is transferred so as to dispense the eighth sample to be dispensed into the 9th used reaction container 2 of the first time. Of course, at this time,
In the second reaction container row, the eighth reaction container 2 becomes empty, but in this case, the control device 11 transfers the reaction container holder 1 in the opposite direction and The drive control is performed so that the first sample to be dispensed is dispensed to the eighth sample.

Further, as described above, the control device 11 controls the measurement of bile acid or free cholesterol in the same reaction vessel after MAO, the measurement of fluxamine and the measurement of guanase in the same reaction vessel, etc. When the measurement item of the reaction container 2 used for the first measurement and the measurement item of the sample measured for the second measurement are different, and the combination of the measurement items is theoretically or empirically carried. When the overflow is likely to occur, the information is input and stored in advance, and the reaction container 2 is transferred so that the analysis of the new sample is performed in the reaction container other than the reaction container 2 having the above history. Drive control.

Next, the operation of the automatic analyzer constructed as above will be described.

When the start switch is turned on and the automatic analyzer is set to the preparatory stage, first, the reaction container holder 1 rotates 360 °, and the absorbance value of each reaction container 2 held in the reaction container holder 1 Is automatically measured. At this time, it is important that each reaction container 2 is surely dried. Of course, the absorbance value may be measured in a state where water or the like is put in each reaction container 2.

The upper and lower limits of the absorbance value of each reaction container 2 are preset and stored in the control device 11, and the reaction container 2 in a dry state before the sample is sampled.
Is measured by the optical measuring device 7, and for the reaction container 2 whose measured absorbance value is not within the upper and lower limit values, the sample is not sampled to maintain the measurement accuracy. Drive control of the mechanism.

In this way, when the first reagent corresponding to the measurement item is dispensed at the reagent dispensing position b into the reaction container 2 whose absorbance value is within the upper and lower limit values, the reaction container 2 is The sample container 4 transferred to the sample dispensing position a and held by the endless belt 20 in synchronism with this.
Is transferred to the sample suction position e, and a required amount of the sample in the sample container 4 is sucked through the sampling device 5, and then the sample is placed in the reaction container 2 held in the reaction container holder 1 at the sample dispensing position a. Is dispensed. At this time, for the sample requiring the electrolyte analysis, the sampling device 5 rotates to dispense the sample into the electrolyte analysis device 8 at the electrolyte analysis position f. After dispensing, the sample dispensed to the electrolyte analyzer 8 is analyzed for sodium, potassium, calcium, chlorine or the like according to the procedure described above.

On the other hand, when the sample dispensing operation is being performed at the sampling position a, at the reagent dispensing position b, the second reagent corresponding to the measurement item is placed in the reaction container 2 that has reached the position b. At the washing position d, the inside of the reaction container 2 that has reached the position d is washed.

After that, the reaction container 2 in which the sample and the first reagent are mixed is rotated by the second step, and the sample dispensing position a
The mixture is further transferred to the stirring position h, and the mixed liquid is stirred.

In this way, the reaction container 2 is intermittently transferred so as to approach the reagent dispensing position b again by repeating the first and second step rotations, and when it reaches the reagent dispensing position b. The reagent dispensing device 6 operates to dispense the second reagent corresponding to the measurement item into the reaction container 2.

The reaction container 2 into which the second reagent has been dispensed in this way is intermittently transferred according to the above procedure, and the stirring operation by the stirring member 21 is performed at the position h, which is one container ahead of the reagent dispensing position b. ..

Then, the reaction vessel 2 for which the stirring operation has been completed is sent to the optical measuring position c according to the above procedure, and the colorimetric measuring process by the optical measuring device 7 is performed at the optical measuring position c. Of course, even when the reaction container 2 passes the optical measurement position c until it is intermittently transferred to the optical measurement position c, that is, while the first and second step rotations are being performed. Since the colorimetric measurement work is performed by the optical measuring device 7, the automatic analyzer according to this embodiment can also obtain time course data for each sample.

The biochemical / immunological analysis data and / or electrolyte analysis data thus obtained are stored in the storage unit of the control device and then output to the display device 15 or the printer 17. To be done.

After the measurement by the optical measuring device 7 is completed, the reaction vessel 2 is then sent to the washing position d, and at the washing position d, each reaction vessel 2 is washed to the extent that it can be reused.

When the use of each reaction container 2 of the first time is finished in this way, the control device 11 causes the control device 11 to input the measurement items and the measurement order of the second time (reaction container 2 into which the sample is dispensed). The sample is dispensed into each reaction container 2 that can be washed and reused, based on the information regarding the specification of (1.

At this time, as described above, in the previous measurement, the reaction container 2 used for the item requiring the accuracy for carryover is stored and stored in the control unit 11 as the previous record of the measured item. Therefore, when the same measurement items as the previous history exist in the samples measured after the next time, regardless of the original sample dispensing order, as shown in FIG. , So that the reagents of the same measurement items as the previous history are dispensed
1 automatically changes the program, and the reaction vessel 2 having the above history is step-transferred corresponding to this program.

Further, in this embodiment, in addition to the transfer of the reaction container 2 described above, the measurement item of the reaction container 2 used in the previous measurement and the measurement item of the sample to be measured next time are different. Therefore, in the combination of the measurement items, if carryover is likely to occur theoretically or empirically,
As shown in FIG. 2, since each reaction container 2 is configured to be transferred so that the analysis of the new sample is performed in a reaction container other than the reaction container 2 having the above history, the original sample dispensing Regardless of the order, the control device 11 automatically changes the program so that the reagent of the measurement item different from the above combination is dispensed into the reaction container 2, and the program is changed according to the program. Each reaction container 2 is step-transferred.

As described above, in the automatic analyzer according to this embodiment, carryover between measurement items is analyzed in the same reaction vessel 2 in the case of measurement items in which carryover easily occurs. In addition, the transfer order of the reaction containers 2 is changed so that the reagents are dispensed so that the carry-over of the measurement items is less likely to occur between the measurement items where the carry-over is likely to occur depending on the combination. Since the analysis is performed and carryover is checked and prevented in two steps, the reliability of the measurement accuracy can be dramatically improved without changing the existing cleaning device. Of course, in the present invention, as means for preventing carryover,
Even if either one of the above-mentioned two methods is adopted, it is possible to obtain a high degree of reliability in analysis accuracy that is incomparable with the conventional method.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the above-mentioned measurement items subject to the above-mentioned history have a problem that fine carryover is a problem. For example, measurement items and / or combinations of cancer tumor markers, opacity test, pH test, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and, for example, an automatic analyzer can be used. The control device 11 can be configured to set the items subject to the previous history according to the request of the facility to be used or the nature of the reagent to be used, and to transfer the reaction container 2 in accordance with this, or Instead of changing the container transfer, the reagent dispensing order may be changed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the reaction container holder 1
The case where the reagent containers are arranged in a ring shape has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each known automatic analysis adopting a method of cleaning and reusing the reaction container It can be applied to an apparatus, and the number and shape of the reaction vessels 2 are not limited to those in the above embodiment.

[0048]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to effectively prevent carryover between measurement items without increasing the cleaning accuracy of the cleaning device applied to the automatic analyzer. And as a result,
Since more accurate and reliable analysis data can be obtained and the above effect can be obtained by simply changing the configuration of the control device without changing the configuration of the existing automatic analysis device, a new automatic analysis device can be used. There are many excellent effects, such as the fact that there is no need to purchase and equipment costs can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control flow chart of a control device in the automatic analyzer.

[Explanation of sign]

 A automatic analyzer 1 reaction container holder 2 reaction container 6 reagent pipette device 7 optical measurement device 9 cleaning device 11 control device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic analyzer in which a control device sequentially controls the transfer of a reaction container from a sampling position to a reagent dispensing position to an optical measurement position to a cleaning position, wherein the control device has already used each reaction container. The control device automatically stores and saves the measured items as a history, and when performing a new measurement using the same reaction container, the control device performs the same item test of the new specimen as a reaction having the same history. An automatic analyzer characterized in that the reaction container is transferred as in a container. 2. In an automatic analyzer in which a control device sequentially controls the transfer of a reaction container from a sampling position to a reagent dispensing position to an optical measurement position to a cleaning position, the control device is already used for each reaction container. The control device automatically stores and saves the measured item as a previous history, and when the control device performs a new measurement using the same reaction container, the control item is a combination of the test item of the new sample and the previous history item. Then, in the case where there is a risk of carryover, the automatic analysis device is characterized in that the reaction container is transferred so that the new sample is analyzed in a reaction container other than the reaction container having the above history.