JP2011007697A - Autoanalyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an autoanalyzer for performing accurate measurement without using an anticoagulant.SOLUTION: This autoanalyzer 1 dispenses a specimen that is stored in a specimen vessel 11a and includes a blood component to a reaction vessel 13a with a probe 12a, makes the specimen react with a reagent in the reaction vessel 13a, and analyzes the specimen. The autoanalyzer includes a clocking part 33 for clocking elapsed time after the specimen vessel 11a is arranged in a specimen supply part 11 of the autoanalyzer 1, an invasion depth information storage part 34a for storing invasion depth information where the elapsed time is associated with the invasion depth of the probe 12a from the liquid level of the specimen mixed with an anticoagulant, for each type of the anticoagulant for suppressing coagulation of blood, a bar code reader 19 for acquiring type information on the anticoagulant mixed into the specimen, and a corpuscle dispensation control part 35a that drops the tip of the probe 12a to a suction position according to the type of the anticoagulant and the elapsed time based on the invasion depth information and makes the probe 12a suck the specimen.

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that dispenses a sample contained in a sample container into a reaction container with a probe and analyzes the sample in the reaction container.

  Conventionally, an automatic analyzer for analyzing a sample such as blood or body fluid dispenses a predetermined amount of a sample from a sample container containing the sample into a reaction container, and causes the sample to react with the reagent in the reaction container. Analyzing. In such an automatic analyzer, when measuring hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) contained in blood, it is necessary to dispense blood cell components from the blood in the sample container. If the specimen containing the blood cell component is collected in the specimen container and left to stand, the blood cell component settles and separates into a plasma component and a blood cell component. Therefore, an automatic analyzer that changes the penetration depth of the probe from the liquid level of whole blood contained in the sample container has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). This automatic analyzer is configured to dispense a sample by positioning the probe at an appropriate depth based on information on changes in the concentration of blood cell components over time in the vertical direction acquired in advance.

JP 2007-316013 A

  By the way, in the whole blood containing the anticoagulant contained in the specimen container, the measurement result of HbA1c may vary depending on the type of anticoagulant to be mixed. However, the automatic analyzer of Patent Document 1 does not perform different measurements depending on the type of anticoagulant. Therefore, there is a problem that high-precision measurement may not be performed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer that can perform highly accurate measurement regardless of an anticoagulant.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the automatic analyzer of the present invention dispenses a specimen containing a blood component contained in a specimen container into a reaction container with a probe, and the reagent in the reaction container. In the automatic analyzer for analyzing the sample by reacting, a time measuring unit for measuring an elapsed time after the sample container is arranged at a predetermined position of the automatic analyzer, and a kind of anticoagulant for suppressing blood coagulation Every time, the storage unit stores intrusion depth information in which the elapsed time corresponds to the invasion depth of the probe from the liquid surface of the sample mixed with the anticoagulant, and the mixed with the sample An acquisition unit that acquires type information of the anticoagulant, and based on the penetration depth information, lowers the tip of the probe to a suction position according to the type of the anticoagulant and the elapsed time, and the probe Wherein it comprises a control unit for aspirating the body, the.

Further, in the automatic analyzer according to the present invention, in the above invention, the acquisition unit acquires analysis item information indicating whether the analysis item uses a blood cell component of the sample, and the control unit includes:
Based on the analysis item information, a determination unit that determines whether the analysis item of the sample to be aspirated by the probe is an analysis item that uses a blood cell component of the sample, and the determination unit causes the probe to aspirate When it is determined that the analysis item of the sample is an analysis item using the blood cell component of the sample, a position deeper by the penetration depth of the probe than the liquid level of the sample by referring to the penetration depth information And a calculation unit for calculating the suction position.

  Moreover, the automatic analyzer according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described invention, the automatic analyzer further includes a detection unit for detecting the liquid level of the specimen.

  In the automatic analyzer according to the present invention, the time measuring unit measures the elapsed time after the sample container is disposed at a predetermined position of the automatic analyzer, and the storage unit is a type of an anticoagulant that suppresses blood coagulation. For each time, the penetration time information in which the elapsed time and the penetration depth of the probe from the liquid surface of the specimen mixed with the anticoagulant correspond is stored, and the acquisition unit is mixed with the specimen. The anti-coagulant type information is acquired, and the control unit lowers the tip of the probe to the suction position according to the anti-coagulant type and the elapsed time based on the penetration depth information. Since the specimen is aspirated, the blood cell component can be aspirated at the aspiration position corresponding to the sedimentation speed of the blood cell component that varies depending on the type of the anticoagulant. Therefore, highly accurate measurement can be performed regardless of the anticoagulant.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a graph showing that the concentration of blood cell components changes in the vertical direction with the passage of time after inversion mixing when NaF is used as an anticoagulant. FIG. 3 is a graph showing that the concentration of blood cell components changes in the vertical direction with the passage of time after inversion mixing when EDTA-2K is used as an anticoagulant. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a sample dispensing process performed by the automatic analyzer shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automatic analyzer 1 optically measures the reaction between a sample to be analyzed and a reagent, controls the entire automatic analyzer 1 including the measurement unit 10, and analyzes measurement results in the measurement unit 10. And a control device 30. The automatic analyzer 1 automatically performs biochemical, immunological or genetic analysis of a plurality of specimens by linking the measuring unit 10 and the control device 30.

  The measurement unit 10 includes a sample supply unit 11, a sample dispensing unit 12, a reaction table 13, a photometric unit 14, a washing unit 15, a stirring unit 16, a reagent dispensing unit 17, and a reagent table 18.

  The sample supply unit 11 stores a plurality of racks 11b holding the sample containers 11a and sequentially transfers them to the sample dispensing position. A barcode reader 19 is provided on the side of the sample supply unit 11. The sample container 11a is provided with a barcode label 11c on which sample information is recorded, and the rack 11b is provided with a barcode label 11d on which rack information is recorded. The bar code reader 19 reads the information on the bar code labels 11c and 11d and outputs the read sample information and rack information to the controller 35 when the sample container 11a is held and transported by the rack 11b.

  The information recorded on the barcode label 11c includes analysis item information indicating whether or not the analysis item uses the blood cell component of the sample and type information of the anticoagulant mixed in the sample. That is, the barcode reader 19 acquires analysis item information and type information of the anticoagulant mixed in the specimen as an acquisition unit. The analysis item information and the anticoagulant type information may be input by the input unit 31 described later.

  The sample dispensing unit 12 includes a probe 12a for aspirating and discharging the sample, an arm 12b having the probe 12a attached to the tip, a probe cleaning unit 12c for cleaning the probe 12a, and a liquid level detection sensor 12d. The arm 12b freely moves up and down in the vertical direction and rotates around the vertical line passing through its proximal end as a central axis by a drive mechanism (not shown).

  The liquid level detection sensor 12d is realized by an optical sensor, and is provided at a position on the side of the sample container 11a transferred to the sample dispensing position. The liquid level detection sensor 12d detects the liquid level of the sample in the sample container 11a as a liquid level detection unit, and outputs the detected position information of the liquid level to the control unit 35. If the liquid level detection sensor 12d can detect the liquid level of the sample in the sample container 11a, for example, a contact-type sensor that detects the liquid level by changing the capacitance is provided at the tip of the probe 12a. The liquid level may be detected by a sensor.

  The sample dispensing unit 12 sucks the sample from the sample container 11a transferred to the sample dispensing position of the sample supply unit 11 by the probe 12a, rotates the arm 12b counterclockwise in the figure, and moves on the reaction table 13. The sample is discharged and dispensed into the reaction container 13a transported to the sample discharge position.

  The reaction table 13 includes a heat retaining member (not shown) and a wheel 13b. The wheel 13b holds a plurality of reaction vessels 13a and is rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown) to transfer the reaction vessels 13a in the circumferential direction.

  The photometry unit 14 irradiates the reaction vessel 13a transferred to a predetermined measurement position with measurement light, and spectroscopically analyzes the light transmitted through the reaction solution of the specimen and the reagent in the reaction vessel 13a to measure the intensity of each wavelength light. By performing the measurement, the absorbance at a wavelength peculiar to the reaction solution of the sample to be analyzed and the reagent is measured.

  The cleaning unit 15 performs the cleaning by sucking and discharging the mixed solution in the reaction vessel 13a that has been measured by the photometry unit 14 by using a nozzle (not shown), and injecting and sucking a cleaning solution such as detergent or cleaning water. . The agitation unit 16 agitates the mixed solution of the reagent dispensed into the reaction vessel 13a and the specimen to promote the reaction.

  The reagent dispensing unit 17 includes a probe 17a that sucks and discharges the reagent, an arm 17b on which the probe 17a is attached to the tip, and a probe cleaning unit 17c that cleans the probe 17a. The arm 17b freely moves up and down in the vertical direction and rotates around the vertical line passing through its base end as a central axis. The reagent dispensing unit 17 sucks the reagent in the reagent container 18b transferred to a predetermined position on the reagent table 18 by the probe 17a, rotates the arm 17b counterclockwise in the figure, and sets the predetermined position on the reaction table 13. The reagent is discharged into the reaction vessel 13a conveyed to the vessel and dispensed.

  The reagent table 18 has a wheel 18a. The wheel 18a holds a plurality of reagent containers 18b and is rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown) to transfer the reagent containers 18b in the circumferential direction.

  The control device 30 includes an input unit 31, an output unit 32, a timer unit 33, a storage unit 34, and a control unit 35. Each unit described above in the measurement unit 10 and the control device 30 is connected to the control unit 35. The control unit 35 is realized by a CPU or the like, and controls processing and operation of each unit of the automatic analyzer 1. The control unit 35 performs predetermined input / output control on information input / output to / from each of these components, and performs predetermined information processing on this information. Further, the control unit 35 obtains the concentration of the detection target in the sample based on the measurement result measured by the photometry unit 14, and performs component analysis of the sample.

  The input unit 31 is realized by a keyboard, a mouse, a handy type barcode reader, or the like, and receives input of various types of information related to sample analysis. The output unit 32 is realized by a display, a printer, a speaker, and the like, and outputs various types of information related to sample analysis.

  The timer unit 33 is implemented with a timer function that measures time. The time measuring unit 33 measures the elapsed time after the sample container 11 a containing the sample is arranged in the sample supply unit 11 of the automatic analyzer 1. Specifically, when the operator inverts and mixes the sample in the sample container 11 a and places the rack 11 b in the sample supply unit 11, the barcode label is read by a handy type barcode reader (not shown) of the input unit 31. 11d rack information is read. The timer unit 33 starts timing using the reading process of the recorded information of the barcode label 11d by the input unit 31 as a trigger. The timing unit 33 stops timing when the probe 12a moves above the sample container 11a at the sample dispensing position for sample aspiration. That is, the time measured by the time measuring unit 33 is an elapsed time from when the sample in the sample container 11a is mixed by overturning until the sample is dispensed. The timer 33 outputs this elapsed time information to the controller 35.

  Further, the timer 33 associates the rack information of the barcode label 11d with the timing start time and stores them in the storage unit 34, and the probe 12b has moved above the sample container 11a at the sample dispensing position for sample aspiration. The elapsed time may be calculated from the difference from the time. In this case, it is possible to measure the elapsed time since the plurality of racks 11b are arranged in the sample supply unit 11. Note that the timing unit 33 only needs to be able to count the elapsed time after the sample container 11a containing the sample is placed at a predetermined position of the automatic analyzer 1. That is, it is only necessary to measure the elapsed time after the sample in the sample container 11a is mixed by overturning.

  The storage unit 34 is realized by a hard disk or the like that magnetically stores information, and stores various types of information related to sample analysis. The storage unit 34 includes an intrusion depth information storage unit 34a. The penetration depth information storage unit 34a stores penetration depth information in which the elapsed time after inversion mixing for each type of anticoagulant and the penetration depth of the probe 12a from the liquid surface of the specimen correspond to each other.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the relationship between the elapsed time after inversion mixing and the penetration depth of the probe 12a will be described. FIG. 2 is a graph showing that the concentration of blood cell components changes in the vertical direction with the passage of time after inversion mixing when NaF is used as an anticoagulant. FIG. 3 is a graph showing that the concentration of blood cell components changes in the vertical direction with the passage of time after inversion mixing when EDTA-2K is used as an anticoagulant. 2 and 3, the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time t after mixing by inversion, and the vertical axis represents the depth h from the liquid level. This depth h is the ratio of the depth from the liquid surface to the height from the bottom surface of the sample container 11a to the liquid surface. Therefore, in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the vertical axis represents the depth h of the liquid surface position as 0 and the depth h of the bottom surface position of the sample container 11a as 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, since the blood cell component settles with the passage of time after mixing by inversion, the blood cell component has a region of concentration R0 thinner than the appropriate concentration R1 from the upper layer to the lower layer over time. The region of density R2 that is larger than the appropriate density R1 is enlarged from the lower layer to the upper layer.

  When NaF is used as an anticoagulant, as shown in FIG. 2, the specimen is almost separated into a plasma component layer and a blood cell component layer at an elapsed time t3 after inversion mixing. Until this separation occurs, for example, at the elapsed time t1, a blood cell component having an appropriate concentration R1 can be aspirated by positioning the tip of the probe 12a in the range of depth h where h1 <h <h4. .

  When EDTA-2K is used as an anticoagulant, as shown in FIG. 3, the sample is almost separated into a plasma component layer and a blood cell component layer at t2 after inversion mixing. In this case, at the elapsed time t1, the blood cell component having an appropriate concentration R1 can be sucked by positioning the tip of the probe 12a in the range of the depth h where h2 <h <h3. That is, the sedimentation rate of blood cell components varies depending on the type of anticoagulant. For this reason, the penetration depth information corresponds to the penetration depth of the probe 12a from the liquid level of the specimen according to the elapsed time after the inversion mixing depending on the type of the anticoagulant.

  Specifically, at the elapsed time t1, when NaF is used as an anticoagulant, the penetration depth is set in the vicinity of the depth h1, and when EDTA-2K is used as the anticoagulant, the penetration enters the vicinity of the depth h2. Set the depth. That is, the penetration depth of the probe 12a is set at a shallow position according to the type of anticoagulant. For this reason, when NaF is used as an anticoagulant, it is possible to dispense a blood cell component with an appropriate concentration at a shallower position at the same elapsed time than when EDTA-2K is used as an anticoagulant. it can.

  The control unit 35 controls the automatic analyzer 1 including control of various functions in the control device 30. The control unit 35 includes a blood cell dispensing control unit 35a.

  Based on the penetration depth information in the penetration depth information storage unit 34a, the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a moves the tip of the probe 12a to the suction position according to the type of anticoagulant and the elapsed time measured by the timekeeping unit 33. The sample is lowered and the sample is aspirated by the probe 12a. The blood cell dispensing control unit 35a includes a determination unit 35b and a calculation unit 35c.

  The determination unit 35b determines whether the analysis item of the sample to be aspirated by the probe 12a is based on the analysis item information indicating whether or not the sample in the sample container 11a acquired by the barcode reader 19 includes the analysis item of the blood cell component. It is determined whether or not the analysis item uses the blood cell component. Here, the sample to be aspirated by the probe 12a is a sample transported to the sample dispensing position.

  When the determination unit 35b determines that the analysis item of the sample to be aspirated by the probe 12a is an analysis item using the blood cell component of the sample, the calculation unit 35c refers to the penetration depth information in the penetration depth information storage unit 34a. As a result, the suction position deeper than the penetration level of the probe 12a is calculated with respect to the specimen liquid level detected by the liquid level detection sensor 12d.

  In the automatic analyzer 1, the reagent dispensing unit 17 dispenses a reagent from the reagent container 18b to the reaction container 13a with respect to the plurality of reaction containers 13a that are sequentially transported, and the sample dispensing unit 12 includes the sample container 11a. A predetermined amount of sample is dispensed into the reaction vessel 13a. Subsequently, after the stirring unit 16 stirs and reacts the reagent and the sample in the reaction vessel 13a, the photometry unit 14 measures the absorbance of the mixed solution of the reagent and the sample. Then, the control unit 35 analyzes the measurement result and automatically performs component analysis of the sample. In addition, the cleaning unit 15 cleans and dries the reaction vessel 13a that has been measured by the photometry unit 14, and a series of analysis operations are continuously repeated.

  Here, the procedure of the sample dispensing process performed by the automatic analyzer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the sample dispensing process performed by the automatic analyzer 1. First, the time measuring unit 33 starts measuring time (step S101). The start of timing by the timing unit 33 is performed when the control unit 35 receives a signal from the input unit 31 to instruct the start of timing. Thereafter, the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a acquires the sample information to be dispensed (step S102). This sample information includes information on whether or not the analysis item uses the blood cell component of the sample and information on the type of the anticoagulant mixed in the sample containing the blood cell component, and is acquired by the barcode reader 19. Is done.

  Thereafter, the determination unit 35b determines whether the analysis item of the sample transported to the sample supply unit 11 is an analysis item using the blood cell component of the sample (step S103). This determination is made based on the sample information acquired in step S102. When the analysis item uses the blood cell component of the sample (step S103, Yes), the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a moves the probe 12a above the sample container 11a transported to the sample dispensing position (step S104).

  Thereafter, the time measuring unit 33 stops time counting (step S105), and the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a determines whether or not the time measured is within a predetermined time (step S106). The predetermined time used for this determination is the elapsed time from the inversion mixing until the plasma component layer and the blood cell component layer are separated. For example, when NaF is used as an anticoagulant, it is shown in FIG. Elapsed time t3. When the measured time is within the predetermined time (step S106, Yes), the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a lowers the probe 12a and detects the liquid level of the specimen by the liquid level detection sensor 12d (step S107). On the other hand, when the measured time is not within the predetermined time (No at Step S106), the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a performs a process of stopping the sample dispensing process (Step S113), and ends this process. As a result, a blood cell component whose concentration has become too high after a long time has passed since mixing by inversion is not sucked.

  When the liquid level of the sample is detected in step S107, the calculation unit 35c calculates the aspiration position (step S108). Specifically, the calculation unit 35c refers to the penetration depth information in the penetration depth information storage unit 34a, so that the type of anticoagulant acquired in step 102 and the elapsed time from steps S101 to S105 are obtained. The corresponding suction position is calculated.

  Thereafter, the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a lowers the tip of the probe 12a to the aspiration position calculated in step S108 (step S109), and causes the sample to be aspirated by the probe 12a (step S110). As a result, for each type of anticoagulant, the sample is aspirated by the probe 12a at the suction position of the penetration depth according to the elapsed time after the inversion mixing, that is, the suction position of the penetration depth according to the sedimentation state of the blood cell component. Can do. Thereafter, the blood cell dispensing control unit 35a moves the probe 12a to the position where the reaction container 13a, which is the sample dispensing destination, is disposed (step S111), and discharges the sample sucked into the probe 12a to the reaction container 13a. (Step S112). Thereafter, the control unit 35 ends this process.

  In step S103, when the determination unit 35b determines that the analysis item does not use the blood cell component of the sample (No in step S103), the control unit 35 performs a sample dispensing process on the analysis item that does not use the blood cell component. (Step S114), this process ends. The sample dispensing process using the analysis item that does not use the blood cell component is performed by, for example, sucking the sample with the probe 12a from the liquid surface of the sample at a suction position having a preset penetration depth and placing the sucked sample into the reaction container 13a. This is a process of discharging and dispensing.

  In this embodiment, the elapsed time after the sample container 11a is arranged in the sample supply unit 11 of the automatic analyzer 1, that is, the elapsed time after the sample in the sample container 11a is mixed by overturning, is measured. In the case of an analysis item using a blood cell component, the tip of the probe 12a is lowered to the suction position corresponding to the type and elapsed time of the anticoagulant mixed in the specimen, and the specimen is sucked by the probe 12a. The blood cell component can be aspirated at a suction position corresponding to the sedimentation speed of the blood cell component that varies depending on the type. Therefore, highly accurate measurement can be performed regardless of the anticoagulant.

  In this embodiment, since the penetration depth of the probe 12a is set at a shallow position according to the type of anticoagulant, the penetration depth of the probe 12a is set uniformly regardless of the type of anticoagulant. Compared to the above, the amount of the specimen attached to the probe 12a can be reduced.

  In this embodiment, the liquid level detection sensor 12d is used to detect the liquid level of the sample in the sample container 11a. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and information on the liquid level position of the sample in the sample container 11a is used. It only has to be acquired. For example, since the liquid level position is fixed by fixing the amount of the sample accommodated in the sample container 11a and fixing the type of the sample container 11a, information on the fixed liquid level position is stored in advance. You may memorize | store in the part 34. FIG. Further, since the amount of the sample accommodated in the sample container 11a is fixed and the type of the sample container 11a is limited, the liquid surface position is limited for each type of the sample container 11a. Information on the surface position may be stored in the storage unit 34 in advance. In this case, information for identifying the type of the specimen container 11a is acquired via the barcode reader 19.

  As described above, the automatic analyzer according to the present invention is useful for dispensing and analyzing a specimen containing blood cell components.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic analyzer 10 Measuring part 11 Sample supply part 11a Sample container 11b Rack 11c, 11d Bar code label 12 Sample dispensing part 12a, 17a Probe 12b, 17b Arm 12c, 17c Probe washing part 12d Liquid level detection sensor 13 Reaction table 13a Reaction vessel 13b, 18a Wheel 14 Photometry unit 15 Washing unit 16 Stirring unit 17 Reagent dispensing unit 18 Reagent table 18b Reagent container 30 Controller 31 Input unit 32 Output unit 33 Timing unit 34 Storage unit 34a Invasion depth information storage unit 35 Control 35a Blood cell dispensing control unit 35b Judgment unit 35c Calculation unit

Claims (3)

In an automatic analyzer that dispenses a sample containing blood components contained in a sample container into a reaction container with a probe, reacts with a reagent in the reaction container and analyzes the sample,
A time measuring unit for measuring the elapsed time since the sample container is arranged at a predetermined position of the automatic analyzer;
For each type of anticoagulant that suppresses coagulation of blood, information on the invasion depth is stored that associates the elapsed time with the invasion depth of the probe from the liquid surface of the specimen mixed with the anticoagulant. A storage unit;
An acquisition unit for acquiring type information of the anticoagulant mixed in the specimen;
Based on the penetration depth information, a controller that lowers the tip of the probe to an aspiration position according to the type of the anticoagulant and the elapsed time, and causes the specimen to be aspirated by the probe;
An automatic analyzer characterized by comprising: The acquisition unit acquires analysis item information indicating whether the analysis item uses a blood cell component of the specimen,
The controller is
Based on the analysis item information, a determination unit that determines whether the analysis item of the sample to be aspirated by the probe is an analysis item using a blood cell component of the sample;
When the determination unit determines that the analysis item of the sample to be aspirated by the probe is an analysis item using the blood cell component of the sample, by referring to the penetration depth information, A calculation unit that calculates the suction position at a position deeper by the penetration depth of the probe;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising:   The automatic analyzer according to claim 2, further comprising a detection unit that detects a liquid level of the specimen.

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