JP2008008795A - Analyzing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an analyzing device capable of securing the reproducibility of analysis. <P>SOLUTION: The analyzing device comprises a reflected light measuring system 3 for measuring the intensity of the light emitted from the light source 21 and reflected to suspension A. The reflected light measuring system 3 comprises an upper detector 31 for measuring the intensity of the light reflected to the upper part of the suspension A, and a lower detector 32 for measuring the intensity of the light reflected by the lower part of the suspension A. Therefore, even when particles contained in the suspension precipitate in response to an effect of gravity, the intensities of the lights reflected to the upper part (supernatant part of the suspension) of the suspension A and the lower part (precipitation part of the suspension) of the suspension A are measured. Therefore, when the component concentration contained in the suspension is analyzed using the added value (average value may be used) of them, the reproducibility of analysis is secured. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an analyzer for automatically performing analyzes such as biochemical analysis and immunoassay.

  Analytical apparatuses that perform analyzes such as biochemical analysis and immunological tests are widely known. For example, an analyzer that performs biochemical analysis dispenses a reagent and a sample into a reaction container called a cuvette, and then irradiates a mixed solution of the reagent and the sample (hereinafter referred to as “test solution”) with light. The sample was analyzed by measuring the amount of light transmitted (absorbance).

  On the other hand, there has been proposed a particle size measuring apparatus that irradiates a suspension or emulsion flowing inside a cell with laser light, measures the intensity (absorbance) of the transmitted light, and measures the intensity of the scattered light. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  Therefore, if a measuring means for measuring the intensity of reflected light as proposed in the above-mentioned particle size measuring apparatus is provided at a predetermined position in an analyzer that performs biochemical analysis, immunoassay, etc., it is included in the test solution. Even if the particle diameter of the particles to be measured is large, the specimen can be analyzed by measuring the intensity of the reflected light.

JP-A-5-87725

  However, as time elapses from the dispensing of the reagent and the specimen, the reaction of the test solution proceeds, the particle diameter of the particles contained in the test solution increases, and the precipitation of the particles proceeds under the influence of gravity. Therefore, if a measuring means for measuring the intensity (light quantity) of the reflected light is provided at a predetermined position of an analyzer for performing biochemical analysis, immunological test, etc., the reflected light is reflected at the supernatant portion and the precipitated portion of the test solution. Since the light intensity is different, the reproducibility of the analysis is not guaranteed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an analyzer capable of ensuring the reproducibility of analysis.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is an analyzer including a reflected light measurement system that measures the intensity of light irradiated from a light source and reflected on a test solution, and the reflected light The measurement system includes an upper detector that measures the intensity of light reflected on the upper position of the test solution, and a lower detector that measures the intensity of light reflected on the lower position of the test solution.

  In the invention described above, the present invention is characterized in that the upper detector and the lower detector are arranged in parallel to the optical axis of the incident light incident on the test solution from the light source.

  The analyzer according to the present invention includes an upper detector that measures the intensity of the light reflected on the upper part of the test solution, and a lower detector that measures the intensity of the light reflected on the lower part of the test solution. Even if the particles contained in the test solution are precipitated due to the influence, the light reflected on the upper part of the test solution (the supernatant part of the test solution) and the lower part of the test solution (light that is scattered backward from the test solution) Therefore, the reproducibility of the analysis can be ensured by analyzing the components contained in the test solution using a value obtained by adding them (which may be an average value). The component contained in the test solution can be obtained by referring to a calibration curve obtained from the intensity of light reflected from a predetermined standard sample.

  In addition, since the upper detector and the lower detector are arranged in parallel to the optical axis of the incident light incident on the test solution from the light source, the upper detector determines the intensity of light reflected from the upper part (supernatant) of the test solution. The lower detector can measure the lower part of the test solution. This avoids a situation where it is unclear which part of the test solution the light intensity reflected by the detector is measured.

  Hereinafter, an analysis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  The analysis apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to an analysis apparatus that automatically performs analysis such as biochemical analysis and immunological test. Here, a biochemical analysis apparatus used for clinical tests and the like will be described as an example.

(Embodiment)
First, an analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the measurement optical system of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention has a measurement optical system 1. The measurement optical system 1 includes a transmitted light measurement system 2 and a reflected light measurement system 3 as shown in FIG.

  The transmitted light measurement system 2 is called an absorbance measurement system, and can measure the absorbance of the test solution A through which the light emitted from the light source 21 has been transmitted. The transmitted light measurement system 2 is configured by arranging a light source 21, a condensing lens 22, a collimation lens 23, a grating 24, and a PDA 25 on the same straight line as in a conventional analyzer.

  The light source 21 emits irradiation light for analyzing the test solution A, and can emit light having a wavelength of 340 to 800 nanometers. As shown in FIG. 1, the condensing lens 22 temporarily condenses the irradiation light emitted from the light source 21, and the condensed irradiation light enters the test solution A. The collimation lens 23 converges the light transmitted through the test solution A into parallel light, and the light converged on the parallel light enters the grating 24. The grating 24 is a diffraction grating that selects light having a wavelength that is specifically absorbed by the test solution A, and a grating that is predetermined for each measurement item is used. A PDA (Photo Detector Array) 25 is a group of light detecting elements that measure the intensity (light quantity) of light incident from the grating 24. The absorbance is measured by measuring the intensity of light relating to a blank sample in advance. It becomes possible.

  Between the condensing lens 22 and the collimation lens 23, a reaction container C (hereinafter referred to as “cuvet”) called a cuvette is located. The cuvette C is a bottomed transparent container having a rectangular tube shape, and an upper portion is opened. As long as the cuvette C is located between the condenser lens 22 and the collimation lens 23, the cuvette C may be fixed between the condenser lens 22 and the collimation lens 23, or every predetermined time. It may be one that passes through.

  Reagents and specimens can be dispensed into the cuvette C, and the transmitted light measurement system 2 described above can measure the absorbance (OD: Optical Density (optical density)) of the mixed solution (test solution A). . The absorbance of the test solution A can be measured every time the cuvette C passes between the condenser lens 22 and the collimation lens 23 or every predetermined time.

  The reflected light measurement system 3 is called a backscattering measurement system, and can measure the intensity of light irradiated from the light source 21 and reflected by the test solution A. The reflected light measurement system 3 includes the light source 21 and the condenser lens 22 of the transmitted light measurement system 2 described above, and a pair of photodetectors 31 and 32.

  The pair of photodetectors 31 and 32 are disposed on the light source 21 side between the condenser lens 22 and the collimation lens 23. The pair of photodetectors 31 and 32 includes an upper detector 31 disposed above the optical axis of incident light and a lower detector 32 disposed below the optical axis of incident light. The upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32 are disposed so as not to block incident light incident on the cuvette C from the light source 21 and are parallel to the optical axis of the incident light. Therefore, the upper detector 31 can measure the intensity of light reflected on the upper portion (supernatant) of the test solution A, and the lower detector 32 can measure the intensity of light reflected on the lower portion of the test solution A. This avoids a situation in which it is unclear which part of the sample A the intensity of light reflected by the detector is measured. For example, when the upper detector 31 is disposed so as to rise toward the optical axis of the incident light, the intensity of the light reflected on the sedimented portion after entering the supernatant of the test solution A is detected by the detector. However, this is not preferable.

  Thus, the upper detector 31 can measure the intensity of the light reflected on the upper part (supernatant) of the test solution A, and the lower detector 32 can measure the intensity of the light reflected on the lower part of the test solution A. It is. Therefore, the reflected light measurement system 3 can measure the intensity of the light reflected on the test solution A every time the cuvette C passes between the condenser lens 22 and the collimation lens 23 or every predetermined time.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the light source 21, the PDA 25, the upper detector 31, and the lower detector 32 described above are connected to the control unit 4 and can be controlled comprehensively. The control unit 4 can employ, for example, a microcomputer.

  A data processing unit 5 (hereinafter referred to as DPR) is connected to the control unit 4. The DPR 5 is a part that processes various data acquired by the control unit 4. The DPR 5 includes an input unit 51 and an output unit 52. The input unit 51 is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse, and can input various information such as the number of specimens and examination items. The output unit 52 is, for example, a display panel or a printer, and can output various types of information such as analysis contents including analysis results.

  The DPR 5 is connected to the PDA 25, the upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32 via the control unit 4, and the light quantity information (absorbance information) measured by the PDA 25, the upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32 are Based on the measured intensity of the reflected light, it is possible to analyze the component concentration and the like of the specimen. The absorbance can be compared and compared by measuring the amount of light relating to the blank sample (for example, water) in advance by the PDA 25. Further, the intensity of the reflected light can be compared and contrasted by obtaining the intensity of the light relating to the blank sample (for example, water) in advance by the upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32. These analysis results can be output to the output unit 52.

  When starting the analysis, the analyzer according to the present embodiment described above measures the absorbance and reflected light intensity of a standard sample with predetermined component concentrations contained in the test solution A every predetermined time, and generates a calibration curve. create. That is, until the intensity of the reflected light measured by the reflected light measurement system 3 reaches a predetermined value from zero, a calibration curve is created in which the component concentration of the test solution A is associated with the absorbance. When the reflected light intensity is detected, a calibration curve in which the component concentration of the test solution A is associated with the intensity of the reflected light thereafter (in a range equal to or greater than the predetermined reflected light intensity) is created. The calibration curve in which the component concentration of the test solution A is associated with the intensity of the reflected light is the sum of the intensity of the reflected light measured by the upper detector 31 and the intensity of the reflected light measured by the lower detector 32, and The component concentration is related. Therefore, a calibration curve for the entire test solution is created even when the intensity of the reflected light differs greatly between the upper portion (supernatant portion) of the test solution A and the lower portion (precipitation portion) of the test solution A.

  Thereafter, when the analysis is started, the absorbance is measured every predetermined time until the reflected light measurement system 3 detects the reflected light intensity having a predetermined value. Then, referring to the calibration curve, the component concentration of the test solution A is analyzed from the measured absorbance.

  On the other hand, when the reflected light measurement system 3 detects a reflected light intensity having a predetermined value, the intensity of the reflected light is measured every predetermined time. Specifically, the intensity of the reflected light measured by the upper detector 31 and the intensity of the reflected light measured by the lower detector 32 are measured, and the sum thereof is taken as the measured intensity of the reflected light. Then, referring to the calibration curve, the component concentration of the test solution A is analyzed from the measured intensity of the reflected light.

  The analyzer according to the embodiment described above includes an upper detector 31 that measures the intensity of light reflected on the upper part of the test solution, and a lower detector 32 that measures the intensity of light reflected on the lower part of the test solution. Therefore, even if the particles contained in the test solution settle due to the influence of gravity, the light reflected from the upper part of the test solution (the supernatant part of the test solution) and the lower part of the test solution (the precipitation part of the test solution) Since each strength is measured, the reproducibility of the analysis can be ensured by analyzing the components contained in the test solution using the value obtained by adding them.

  In addition, since the upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32 are arranged in parallel to the optical axis of the incident light incident on the test solution from the light source 21, the upper detector 31 and the lower detector 32 are arranged in any part of the test sample A. It is possible to avoid a situation where it is unclear whether the intensity of the reflected light is measured.

  In the analyzer according to the above-described embodiment, the sum of the reflected light intensity measured by the upper detector 31 and the reflected light intensity measured by the lower detector 32 is associated with the component concentration of the test solution A. Then, a calibration curve in which the component concentration of the test solution A is associated with the intensity of the reflected light is created, and based on the sum of the intensity of the reflected light measured by the upper detector 31 and the intensity of the reflected light measured by the lower detector 32. Thus, the component concentration of the test solution A was analyzed. However, the average value of the intensity of the reflected light measured by the upper detector 31 and the intensity of the reflected light measured by the lower detector 32 is associated with the component concentration of the test solution A, and the test solution A is related to the intensity of the reflected light. A calibration curve relating the component concentrations of the sample A is prepared, and the component concentration of the test solution A is analyzed based on the average value of the intensity of the reflected light measured by the upper detector 31 and the intensity of the reflected light measured by the lower detector 32 It is good to do. Alternatively, the difference between the reflected light intensity change measured by the upper detector 31 and the reflected light intensity change measured by the lower detector 32 may be analyzed.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the measurement optical system of the analyzer concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the analyzer concerning an embodiment of the invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measurement optical system 2 Transmitted light measurement system 3 Reflected light measurement system 4 Control part 5 Data processing part (DPR)
21 Light source 22 Condensing lens 23 Collimation lens 24 Grating 31 Upper detector (light detector)
32 Lower detector (light detector)
C cuvette (reaction vessel)

Claims (2)

An analyzer equipped with a reflected light measurement system for measuring the intensity of light irradiated from a light source and reflected by a test solution,
The reflected light measurement system includes an upper detector that measures the intensity of light reflected on the upper portion of the test solution, and a lower detector that measures the intensity of light reflected on the lower portion of the test solution. Analysis equipment.   The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the upper detector and the lower detector are arranged in parallel with an optical axis of incident light incident on the test solution from the light source.

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