JP2003279453A - Smear preparing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a smear preparing device capable of not only determining automatically smearing conditions based on a measurement result from an analytical device but also setting the smearing conditions by judgement including other medical examination information or the like. <P>SOLUTION: This smear preparing device 108 for preparing a smear of a specimen on a slide glass 60 by using a pulling glass 62 based on the smearing conditions is equipped with a storage part 20 for storing the smearing conditions with relation to related information necessary for setting the smearing conditions, and a control part 40 for retrieving one of the smearing conditions corresponding to the related information of the specimen from a storage part 20, and determining the smearing condition as the smearing condition for the specimen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear such as collected blood or bone marrow fluid, and more specifically to a smear capable of easily producing a smear with excellent quality. The present invention relates to a sample preparation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to observe blood or the like with a microscope or the like, there is a smear preparing apparatus for dropping blood or the like onto a slide glass and smearing with a drawn glass (smearing member) to prepare a specimen for observation. It is used.

Since smear specimens have different characteristics such as particle density and viscosity contained in each specimen, if smearing is always performed under constant smearing conditions, some specimens may not be suitable for observation. is there. Therefore, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,097 discloses a smear preparation apparatus in which smearing conditions are set for each sample based on the measurement results from the blood analyzer.

[0004]

[Patent Document 1] US Pat. No. 5,209,903

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional device, the smearing condition (speed of pulling glass and angle condition) is automatically changed based on the analysis result of another blood analyzer. For example, it is well known to determine the smearing condition based on the hematocrit value. It is also considered to determine the smearing condition based on the white blood cell count. Also,
Since the viscosity of blood generally increases as the amount of hemoglobin increases, it is also considered to set the smearing condition based on the measurement result of the amount of hemoglobin by a blood analyzer.

However, in the method of automatically determining the smearing condition based on the hematocrit value, the smearing condition may not be appropriate. For example, leukemia patients have normal or slightly low hematocrit values, but leukocytes of leukemia patients have a weak and vulnerable property to be destroyed. It turns out that there are cases where specimens cannot be made.

When preparing a smear of blood from such a patient, in order to prevent the white blood cells from being destroyed, the force applied to the slide glass when smearing the blood on the slide glass with a slide glass is made smaller and thicker. I need to make a sample,
It is difficult to set the smearing condition setting based on the measurement result by the analyzer like the conventional smear preparing apparatus.

Further, a person who observes the smear with a microscope has different requirements for each smear. That is, some observers want to observe thinly spread specimens, and some observers want to observe specimens gathered in a thick and narrow area. It has been difficult for conventional devices to meet such demands.

[0009] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a smear sample preparing apparatus capable of setting a smear condition based on related information (other medical information, etc.) related to setting a smear condition. A further object of the present invention is to provide a smear preparation apparatus capable of determining not only the measurement result from the analyzer but also other medical information and the like to set the smear condition. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a smear preparing apparatus capable of making smear conditions easy for the observer to see.

[0010]

The smear preparing apparatus of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, uses a pulling glass (smearing member) based on smearing conditions to smear a specimen on a slide glass. A smear preparing device for preparing a specimen, which corresponds to the storage unit for storing the smear condition in association with the related information necessary for setting the smear condition, and the related information of the sample from the memory unit A control unit that searches for one of the smearing conditions and determines the smearing condition as the smearing condition of the sample is provided. Here, the related information is not information that is automatically determined based on blood test data based on the analyzer, but is information that is manually determined arbitrarily by the sample creator.

In the present invention, a related information receiving section for receiving the related information of the sample may be further provided. The related information receiving unit may receive the related information of the sample via the network. The related information receiving unit may receive the related information from the blood analyzer. The related information may be either information for identifying the collection source of the sample or case information.

The related information input device for inputting the related information of the sample may be further provided, and the related information receiving section may receive the related information input from the related information input device. The related information may be one of preference information regarding the smear state of the smear observer. The related information may be any one of information for identifying the sample collection source, case information, and preference information regarding the smear state of the smear observer.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blood analysis system including the smear preparing apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the loader 102 of the blood analysis system 100 includes:
A plurality of sample racks 101 are placed. The sample rack 101 is unloaded from the loader 102 at the carry-in end of the conveyor 103 located near the loader 102. Each sample rack 101 includes a plurality of sample containers 104 each filled with a blood sample for analysis. The sample container 104 may be a test tube or the like.

The analysis of the contents of the sample container 104 can be performed with or without the rubber stopper 105 at its opening. In either case, the blood sample in sample container 104 is withdrawn by conventional means. Conveyor 103
Transports the sample rack 101, and the blood cell analyzer 10
6 and at least one of the reticulocyte analyzer 107 and the smear preparing device 108. Devices other than those described above may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. All operations performed by the present invention are controlled by the system controller 109 which constantly monitors the process.

After the final blood analyzer, the sample rack 101 reaches the carry-out end 110 of the conveyor 103, where the unloader 111 installed at the carry-out end 110 of the conveyor 103 moves the sample rack 101 for removal. The sample rack 101 carries more than one sample container 104. Each sample container 104 has an identification barcode label (not shown) that can be read from outside the sample rack 101. On the side of each sample rack 101 is a barcode reading window 112 for each sample container 104 that can be placed on the sample rack 101. The bar code reader 113 provided for each process checks the bar code through the bar code reading window 112. This example is disclosed in JP-A-63-217273.

In operation, the sample rack 10 carries sample containers 104 individually labeled with a bar code identification tag.
1 is placed in the loader 102, the blood analysis system 1
00 is started. The first sample rack 101 is moved to the conveyor 103 and advanced in the direction indicated and passes through at least one of the hematology analyzer 106 and reticulocyte analyzer 107 and smear preparation device 108 under the control of the system controller 109. To do. The conveyor 103 advances one sample container position at a time and stops at each position to allow blood analysis and sampling processes to complete.

Blood analyzers are arrayed from right to left along the conveyor 103, and they include a blood cell analyzer 106 (for example, Sysmex Corporation NE-8000) and a reticulocyte analyzer 107 (for example, Sysmex Corporation R-). 1000), and a smear preparation device 108 can be included. The NE-8000 is a blood cell analyzer capable of measuring five types of data of white blood cells in a blood sample and counting blood components. The R-1000 is a reticulocyte analyzer that can determine the number of reticulocytes in a blood sample and their ratio.

The sample rack 101 is carried by the conveyor device 103 and stopped at the first blood analyzer 106,
Here, the barcode identification tag of the first sample container 104 is read by the barcode reader 113. The first blood analyzer 106 records a barcode identification tag, and reports the analysis result of the barcode identification tag and the blood sample contained in the sample container 104 to the system controller 109. A part of the blood sample contained in the sample container 104 is first removed using a blood drawing circuit (not shown) using a needle and air pressure.
Blood analysis device 106 of FIG.
The first blood analyzer 106 repeats this process for each sample container 104 that has been advanced to it until all sample containers 104 in the sample rack 101 have been analyzed.

Next, the sample rack 101 is moved to the second blood analyzer 107, and the second blood analyzer 10 is moved.
Similarly to the first blood analysis device 106, the device 7 reads and records the bar code identification tag of the sample container 104 carried therein, and reports the bar code and each analysis result to the system controller 109.

Next, the sample rack 101 is moved to the smear preparing device 108. The barcode of each sample container 104 is read by the barcode reader 113 of the smear preparing apparatus 108 and reported to the system controller 109. The system controller 109 is
The reported bar code is converted to blood analyzers 106 and 1
Check with the analysis reported for the barcode by 07. If the analysis shows a normal blood sample, the sample container 104 is advanced and the next sample container is advanced to the smear preparation device 108. When the system controller 109 recognizes a bar code of an abnormal blood sample, the smear preparing device 108 is made to prepare a blood smear.

Next, the sample rack 101 which has been placed on the conveyor 103 and passed through the smear preparing apparatus 108 is
Transferred to unloader 111 for removal from blood analysis system 100. System controller 109
Is a blood cell analyzer 106 or reticulocyte analyzer 10
The default smear preparation conditions can be determined based on all or part of the analysis results of 7.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a smear preparing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention. This smear preparation device 10
Reference numeral 8 denotes a smear condition storage unit 20, a related information receiving unit 30, a smear condition adjusting unit (control unit) 40, and a pull glass adjusting drive mechanism 50.
Composed of and.

Of these, the smearing condition storage unit 20, the related information receiving unit 30, and the smearing condition adjusting unit 40 are constructed by a computer. More specifically, the smearing condition storage unit 20 is composed of a memory device. The related information receiving unit 30 receives the patient ID number and the case, which are related information from the system controller 109, as well as the observer's preference information and the case, which are related information from an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The smearing condition adjusting unit 40 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM.

The smearing condition storage unit 20 stores the smearing condition in association with the relevant information necessary for setting the smearing condition. These related information are stored in advance before the actual smearing. FIG. 7 is a table in which the related information stored in the smear condition storage unit and the smear condition are associated with each other.

In FIG. 7A, "long sample" and "thick sample"
Corresponding to the relevant information about the observer's preference, such as "thin specimen", the speed, pressure,
The angle, the blood familiarizing time, and the smearing start position are stored.
Therefore, by using this table, a desired smearing condition can be easily set according to the habit of the observer when observing.

In FIG. 7 (b), the settings for patients with weak leukocytes such as "leukemia", the settings for diseases such as "anemia" which are mainly due to morphological observation of red blood cells, and the leukocytes such as "leukocytosis" Corresponding to the relevant information about the case, such as setting a large number of patients, setting a patient with few white blood cells such as "leukopenia", setting a patient with many red blood cells such as "erythrocytosis", etc. Speed, pressure,
The angle, the blood familiarizing time, and the smearing start position are stored.
Therefore, by using this table, it is possible to easily set the smearing condition according to the blood property peculiar to the disease.

In FIG. 7 (c), the ID number of each patient is used as related information in the case of continuously producing a smear of blood of a particular patient, and the speed of the pulling glass of each patient is associated with this. The pressure, the angle, the blood familiarizing time, and the smearing start position are stored. Therefore, by using this table, it is possible to set an appropriate smearing condition for each patient. A patient name and a medical record number can be used instead of the ID number. The default value may be stored when no particular setting is made.

The relevant information receiving section 30 receives relevant information necessary for executing smearing. That is, "observer preference information (long specimen, thick specimen,
Related information such as “thin sample, short sample, etc.” ”,“ case (leukemia, anemia, leukocytosis, leukopenia, erythrocytosis, etc.) ”,“ patient ID number ”from the system controller 109 or keyboard. Is entered. The related information may be input by communication with a database in which the related information is stored. In this case, the database and the smear preparing device are connected by a communication line. This related information corresponds to the related information in the table stored in the smearing condition storage unit. The related information may be received via a storage medium (floppy disk, CD, etc.).

The smearing condition adjusting unit (control unit) 40 searches the table of the smearing condition storage unit 20 when the related information is input from the related information receiving unit 30, and checks whether the relevant information is recorded. Find out. Then, the smearing conditions (pulling glass speed, pressing force, angle, blood familiarizing time, smearing start position) corresponding to the pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 50 are sent based on the search result.

The pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 50 adjusts the drive mechanism based on the smearing condition sent from the smearing condition adjusting section (control section) 40. Specifically, a speed condition is set for the front and rear driving mechanism 52 for the drawn glass, a pressure condition is set for the pressure adjusting mechanism 54, and an angle condition is set for the angle adjusting mechanism 56. The drawn glass blood familiarization time is the time after the drawn glass 62 comes into contact with blood. The start position of the smeared glass smear is adjusted by the front-rear drive unit 52. As a result, the drawn glass is smeared under the set conditions.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic construction of a pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism in the smear preparing apparatus. The pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 50 includes a front-rear driving mechanism 52 that moves the pulling glass 62 along the glass surface direction of the slide glass 60 to be smeared, a pressure adjusting mechanism 54 that adjusts the pressure with which the pulling glass 62 presses the slide glass 60, An angle adjusting mechanism 56 for adjusting the angle formed by the pulling glass 62 and the slide glass 60. The front-rear driving mechanism 52 and the pressure adjusting mechanism 54 are for moving the pulling glass 62 in one direction, and are configured by a well-known belt motor mechanism or the like.

Of these, the front-rear drive mechanism 52 drives the pulling glass 62 after adjusting the pulling glass so that it can move on the surface of the slide glass at a set speed, and the rotation speed of the belt motor. The moving speed of the pulling glass 62 can be adjusted by adjusting.

The pressure adjusting mechanism 54 moves the pulling glass 62 up and down, and the height of the pressure adjusting mechanism 54 can adjust the force with which the pulling glass 62 presses the slide glass 60. The angle adjusting mechanism 56 is composed of an elastic member 66 that pulls the pulling glass 62 so as to rotate around the support shaft 64. A stopper 68 for limiting the rotation is also provided. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where the angle of the pulling glass 62 is increased by the angle adjusting mechanism 56, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state where the angle is decreased. The angle is adjusted by the elastic state of the elastic member 66.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The rack 101 containing the sample with the barcode label attached is the conveyor 10
The barcode label is read by the barcode reader 103 and the related information is acquired (st1).
When performing smearing, related information (observer preference information, cases,
The patient ID number or the like) is accepted from the system controller 109 or the input device (st2).

When the related information is accepted, the table stored in the smearing condition storage unit 20 is searched to see if the related information corresponding to the input related information is stored (st3). If the corresponding information is stored, the smearing condition corresponding to the relevant information is selected (st
4). If corresponding information is not stored, the default smearing condition is selected (st5). The pulling glass adjustment drive mechanism adjusts the pulling glass drive mechanism based on the selected smearing condition (st6).

The smearing conditions are set by the above flow,
The smearing with the pulled glass will be executed. In addition,
In this embodiment, the five conditions of speed, pressing force, angle, running-in time, and smearing start position are set at the same time, but the same effect can be obtained by setting at least one of these conditions.

In the above embodiment, the smearing condition adjusting unit (control unit) 40 controls the pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 50. However, the system controller 109 may control the pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 50. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the smear condition storage unit 20 and the smear condition adjusting unit (control unit) 40 are included in the smear sample preparing apparatus 108. However, these may be included in the system controller 109.

[0038]

According to the present invention, not only the smearing condition is automatically determined based on the measurement result from the analyzer as in the conventional case, but also the smearing condition is set by judgment including other medical information. it can. In addition, it is possible to make the smearing conditions easy to see according to the preference of the observer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a system including a smear preparing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a smear preparing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the smear sample preparing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism of the smear sample preparing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a view showing a state in which a pulling glass angle is increased in the pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which a pulling glass angle is made small in the pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an example of a correspondence table of related information and smearing conditions stored in a smearing condition storage unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

20: Smear condition storage section 22: Patient ID 24: Case 26: Observer preference information 30: Related information reception department 40: Smear condition adjusting unit (control unit) 50: Pulling glass adjusting drive mechanism 52: Front-rear drive mechanism 54: Pressure adjusting mechanism 56: Angle adjustment mechanism 60: Slide glass 62: Pulled glass 100: Blood analysis system 108: Smear preparation device 109: System controller

Continued front page    F term (reference) 2G045 AA01 AA25 BA14 BB21 CA25                       FB16 HA12 JA01 JA07                 2G052 AA30 AD26 CA03 CA42 CA48                       DA32 FA05 GA32 HB04 HC04                       HC25 HC36 HC44 JA06 JA08

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of a specimen on a slide glass by using a smearing member based on smearing conditions, and providing relevant information necessary for setting smearing conditions. A storage unit for storing the smearing conditions in association with each other and a control unit for retrieving one of the smearing conditions corresponding to the relevant information of the sample from the storage unit and determining the smearing condition as the smearing condition of the sample are provided. A smear preparation device. 2. The smear sample preparing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a related information receiving section for receiving related information of the sample. 3. The related information receiving section stores the related information of the sample,
The smear preparation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the smear preparation is received via a network. 4. The smear preparing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the related information receiving unit receives related information from the blood analyzer. 5. The smear preparing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the related information is either information for identifying a sampling source of the sample or case information. 6. The related information input device according to claim 2, further comprising a related information input device for inputting related information of the sample, wherein the related information receiving unit receives the related information input from the related information input device. Smear preparation device. 7. The smear preparing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the related information is one of preference information regarding a smear state of a smear observer. 8. The smear according to claim 1, wherein the related information is any one of information for identifying a sample collection source, case information, and preference information regarding a smear state of a smear observer. Manufacturing equipment. 9. A smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of a specimen on a slide glass by using a smearing member based on smearing conditions, and providing relevant information necessary for setting the smearing conditions. The storage unit for storing the smearing conditions in association with each other, the related information receiving unit for receiving the related information of the sample, and the related information of the received sample are checked whether or not they exist in the storage unit. A smear sample preparing apparatus comprising: a control unit that retrieves one of the smearing conditions corresponding to the relevant information of the sample from the storage unit and determines the smearing condition of the sample. 10. When the related information of the received sample does not exist in the storage unit, the control unit sets a smearing condition preset based on the information of the sample received from the blood analyzer via the related information receiving unit. The smear preparing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the smear preparation condition is determined as the smearing condition of the sample. 11. The related information receiving unit receives the measurement result of the sample from the blood analyzer.
The smear preparation apparatus according to item 0.