JP4416579B2 - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological samples such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that has a function of transferring a sample between a plurality of analysis units via a transport device.

  The automatic analyzer dispenses a sample made of a biological sample such as blood or urine and a reagent into a reaction container, and measures a mixed solution of the sample and the reagent by a measuring means such as a photometer.

  In particular, a blood sample contains a coagulation component in the sample, and therefore there is a possibility that the flow path of a sample dispensing mechanism such as a pipetter will be clogged. Therefore, some recent automatic analyzers are provided with means for measuring the pressure in the dispensing flow path using a pressure sensor in order to recognize whether or not the sample suction operation has been normally performed during the dispensing operation. Exists. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic analyzer using such a pressure sensor, that is, having a detection means.

  On the other hand, there is also an automatic analyzer having a function in which a plurality of analysis units are connected via a transport mechanism to enable mutual transport of the same sample between the analysis units. Such an automatic analyzer is disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example.

JP 2001-242182 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-325839

  Here, in the automatic analyzer having the configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is assumed that it is necessary to perform analysis in a plurality of analysis units on the same sample. Even if the sample dispensing operation of the analysis unit requested for analysis at first is recognized as an abnormal quantitative suction, the current system transports the sample to the subsequent analysis units and performs the sample dispensing operation in the same way as described above. carry out. In this case, in the subsequent analysis units, there is a possibility that the quantitative suction abnormality may occur as in the initial analysis unit. This is because abnormal suction of the sample in the dispensing mechanism is most likely caused by a coagulant substance in the sample. If the same sample is dispensed, the suction flow is not affected by any dispensing means. This is because clogging may occur in the path (of course, the quantitative suction abnormality of the dispensing mechanism may be a single occurrence due to malfunction of the dispensing mechanism).

  Once the dispensing mechanism is clogged, it is necessary to perform inefficient operations as an apparatus, such as adding a washing operation to a sample that has been recognized as a quantitative suction abnormality, and wasteful use of already dispensed reagents. In the conventional automatic analyzer, there is a possibility that such an inefficient operation has to be executed not only in a single analysis unit but also in a plurality of all analysis units.

  In the present invention, the inefficient operation that occurs in the event of a quantitative suction abnormality is limited to the analysis unit in which the abnormality is recognized, and the same abnormality may occur in a plurality of other analysis units constituting the automatic analyzer. The purpose is to improve the analysis speed by reducing the cost and to reduce the cost by suppressing the consumption of useless reagents.

  The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is as follows.

  A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a sample from a sample container to a reaction container, the same as an analysis unit having a dispensing detection mechanism for detecting whether or not the dispensing of the sample has been normally executed by the dispensing apparatus. In an automatic analyzer equipped with a transport mechanism for transporting a sample between a plurality of the analysis units, if the dispensing detection mechanism of any of the analysis units detects an abnormality, registration is performed regarding the sample in which the abnormality has occurred. An automatic analyzer with a function to add information indicating that a dispensing abnormality has occurred to the sample information.

  The reaction container means a container for mixing a sample and a reagent. The automatic analyzer usually measures the concentration of the target component in the sample by measuring the physical properties (absorbance, luminescence intensity, etc.) of the mixed solution in the reaction vessel. The dispensing device is a device that sucks or discharges liquid by sucking the liquid into the flow path of the dispensing device by a pressure change generated by a (negative) pressure generating means such as a syringe or bellows. The pressure generating means is not limited to the above, and any pressure generating means may be used as long as it can generate a pressure difference capable of sucking / discharging the liquid.

  The analysis unit means a unit of an analyzer that includes at least one sample dispensing mechanism and can calculate an analysis result for at least one type of analysis item. A plurality of analysis units does not necessarily mean that the casings exist separately. Even if they are arranged in the same casing, if they have different dispensing devices (dispensing mechanisms) and can output analysis results of different analysis items, they are a plurality of analysis units. For example, even if an analysis unit for analyzing biochemical analysis items and an analysis unit for analyzing immune analysis items are arranged in the same casing, the analysis unit according to the present invention can be used as long as each analysis unit has a dispensing mechanism. Corresponds to the unit.

  The dispensing detection mechanism may be anything such as a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a liquid level detection information obtained from a liquid level detection sensor, and a mechanism based on a change in liquid level. Any mechanism may be used as long as it can detect that the sample is clogged in the flow path or the like of the dispensing mechanism and cannot be dispensed, or that the specified dispensing amount cannot be dispensed.

  It is desirable to have a function of setting a flag on a sample in which dispensing abnormality has occurred and recognizing the apparatus operator. For a flagged sample, if dispensing is performed in another analysis unit, there is a high possibility that a dispensing error will occur in the same way as in the first analysis unit. It is desirable to have a control means for controlling so that the same sample is not dispensed. The same sample may be a sample contained in the same sample container as the one in which dispensing abnormality has occurred, or when the same sample is divided into multiple sample containers, the sample in each sample container Can be. Of course, the occurrence of dispensing abnormality may not be caused by the sample itself. When it is determined that the cause is not the sample itself but the specific dispensing device, the flag indicating that a previously registered dispensing abnormality has occurred is deleted from the sample information database in which the sample information is registered. It is desirable to have a function. The analysis unit can determine whether or not to dispense the sample based on whether or not there is a flag indicating that a dispensing abnormality has occurred in the sample information database.

  It is desirable to have a list display of samples and a display that allows the presence / absence of a flag to be known at a glance during the list display so that it can be easily confirmed in which sample the dispensing abnormality has occurred. There may be a function that allows the operator to add or delete a flag (identification display, mark, etc.) indicating the occurrence of dispensing abnormality from the sample list displayed on the display device.

  As an effect of the present invention, an inefficient operation such as automatically reducing the analysis operation for the sample after the analysis unit recognized as a quantitative suction abnormality in the dispensing operation of the sample and reducing the processing capacity accompanying the addition of the cleaning operation In addition, it is possible to avoid uneconomical operation of the apparatus, such as dispensing of reagents to the sample.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in order from FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the periphery of a dispensing mechanism of a general automatic analyzer. Since the function of each part is well-known, detailed description is omitted. The sampling arm 2 of the sampling mechanism 1 moves up and down and rotates. Using the probe 105 attached to the sampling arm 2, the sample 7 in the sample container 101 arranged on the sample disk 102 rotating left and right is sucked and reacted. It is comprised so that it may discharge to the container 106. FIG. As can be seen from this figure, the sample container 101 is placed on the sample disk 102 in a universal arrangement in which the sample container 101 can be placed directly on the sample disk 102 or on the test tube (not shown). The thing of the structure which can respond is common.

The configuration of the automatic analyzer in FIG. 1 will be further described. On the rotatable reagent disk 125, reagent bottles 112 corresponding to a plurality of analysis items to be analyzed are arranged. The reagent dispensing probe 110 attached to the movable arm dispenses a predetermined amount of reagent from the reagent bottle 112 to the reaction container 106.

  The sample dispensing probe 105 performs a sample suction operation and a discharge operation in accordance with the operation of the sample syringe pump 107. The reagent dispensing probe 110 executes a reagent suction operation and a discharge operation in accordance with the operation of the reagent syringe pump 111. The analysis items to be analyzed for each sample are input from an input device such as a keyboard 121 or a CRT 118 screen. The operation of each unit in this automatic analyzer is controlled by the computer 103.

As the sample disk 102 rotates intermittently, the sample container 101 is transferred to the sample suction position, and the sample dispensing probe 105 is lowered into the stopped sample container. When the tip of the dispensing probe 105 comes into contact with the liquid level of the sample along with the lowering operation, a detection signal is output from the liquid level detection circuit 151, and the computer 103 stops the lowering operation of the driving unit of the movable arm 2 based on the detection signal. Control as follows. Next, after a predetermined amount of sample is sucked into the dispensing probe 105, the dispensing probe 105 rises to the top dead center. While the dispensing probe 105 is sucking a predetermined amount of sample, the pressure detection circuit uses the signal from the pressure sensor 152 to detect the pressure fluctuation in the flow channel during the suction operation between the dispensing probe 105 and the sample pump 107 flow channel. When monitoring is performed at 153 and an abnormality is found in the pressure fluctuation during suction, an alarm is added to the analysis data because there is a high possibility that a predetermined amount has not been sucked.

Next, the sampling arm 2 rotates in the horizontal direction, the sample dispensing probe 105 is lowered at the position of the reaction vessel 106 on the reaction disk 109, and the sample held in the reaction vessel 106 is discharged. When the reaction container 106 containing the sample is moved to the reagent addition position, a reagent corresponding to the corresponding analysis item is added from the reagent dispensing probe 110. As the sample and reagent are dispensed, the liquid level of the sample in the sample container 101 and the reagent in the reagent bottle 112 is detected. The sample and the mixture in the reaction vessel to which the reagent has been added are stirred by the stirrer 113. The reaction container containing the mixture is transferred to the measuring means 162, and simultaneously the shielding means by the actuator 160 is opened, and the luminescence value or absorbance of each mixture is measured by the photomultiplier 161 or the photometer as the measuring means. . The emission signal enters the computer 103 via the interface 104 via the A / D converter 116, and the concentration of the analysis item is calculated. The analysis result is printed out to the printer 117 via the interface 104 or output to the CRT 118 and stored in the hard disk 122 as a memory. After completion of photometry, the reaction vessel 106 is cleaned at the position of the cleaning mechanism 119. The cleaning pump 120 supplies cleaning water to the reaction container and discharges waste from the reaction container. In the example of FIG. 1, three rows of container holding portions are formed so that three rows of sample vessels 101 can be set concentrically on the sample disk 102, and the sample suction position by the sample dispensing probe 105 is in each row. One by one is set.

  Next, an example of an automatic analyzer configured by connecting a plurality of analysis units will be described with reference to FIG. A plurality of analysis units having the aforementioned functions are connected, and these analysis units are interconnected by the sample transport unit 18. U / I as an automatic analyzer is performed by the apparatus operation unit 16, and an interface inside the automatic analyzer is performed by an appropriate communication means such as Ethernet (R). The sample container 101 is loaded from the sample loading unit 14 and is transported to the analysis unit requested to be analyzed by the sample transport unit 18, and the sample container 101 is appropriately transported to the sample unloading unit 15 after the analysis is completed. FIG. 2 shows a specific example of the sample transport path when only the analysis unit 110 is requested or when the analysis unit 110, the analysis unit 211, and the analysis unit 413 are requested.

  Next, the problems of the current automatic analyzer will be described below with reference to FIG. The sample transport path is assumed to be a request from the analysis unit 110, the analysis unit 211, and the analysis unit 413 as described above with reference to FIG. The sample container 101 requested to be analyzed by the apparatus operation unit 16 is input from the sample input unit 14 and is carried into the analysis unit 110 to analyze the sample. As described above, the sample dispensing probe 105 is lowered into the sample container 101, and a predetermined amount of sample is sucked into the dispensing probe 105 after stopping the lowering operation of the drive unit of the movable arm 2. In this suction operation, when the pressure detection circuit 153 recognizes an abnormality by a predetermined amount of suction operation, the current automatic analyzer discharges the sample sucked in the analysis unit 110 and cleans the sample dispensing probe 105 with a detergent. A plurality of additional operations are generated in accordance with the recognition of the abnormal suction operation such as the operation or the discharge operation of the sample analysis reagent, resulting in a reduction in processing capacity as a whole automatic analysis. As shown in FIG. 3, when the abnormal suction operation is recognized in the analysis unit 110, the sample container 101 is carried into the analysis unit 211 and the analysis unit 413 as requested for analysis in the current automatic analyzer, and the suction is performed. Perform the action. That is, as with the analysis unit 110, there is a very high possibility that a suction operation abnormality will be recognized, and there is a possibility of further reducing the processing capability.

Next, the operation of the automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to FIG. As in FIG. 3, the sample transport path is the analysis unit 110, the analysis unit 2 11, and the analysis unit 4.
It is assumed that 13 is requested. When an abnormality is recognized by the pressure detection circuit 153 in the sample predetermined amount suction operation in the analysis unit 110, the automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied displays the status of the predetermined amount suction operation abnormality recognized in the analysis unit 1 in the sample container 101. In the analysis of the sample after being requested to be analyzed, it is determined that there is a high possibility that it is recognized that the predetermined amount of suction operation is abnormal in the same manner as the analysis result of the analysis unit 1, and the analysis unit 211, analysis unit 413 automatically cancels the loading and analysis of the sample container 101, prevents the occurrence of an additional operation associated with the recognition of the abnormal suction operation, inefficient operation such as processing capacity reduction, and inexpensive It is possible to avoid the occurrence of a typical operation and contribute to the provision of an optimal operating environment as an automatic analyzer.

  In the above embodiment, the means for monitoring the signal from the pressure sensor 152 by the pressure detection circuit 153 is taken as an example as means for recognizing the abnormality of the sample predetermined amount suction operation. Means for monitoring the amount of optical refraction at a specific position, or the liquid surface stop position before sample suction, that is, the height of the sample dispensing probe 105 stop position and the height of the sample dispensing probe 105 stop position at the previous dispensing. A plurality of effective means such as a means for recognizing an abnormality when the transition height is less than the expected value from the transition can be considered, but the detailed description of the above means will be omitted in the present invention.

Schematic which shows the whole structure of the analysis unit to which this invention is applied. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of an automatic analyzer including a plurality of analysis units. Problems to be solved by the present invention. The sample workflow of the automatic analyzer which applied this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sampling mechanism, 10 ... Analysis unit 1, 11 ... Analysis unit 2, 12 ... Analysis unit 3, 13 ... Analysis unit 4, 14 ... Sample input part, 15 ... Sample unloading part, 18 ... Sample conveyance part, 101 ... Sample Container (sample container), 152 ... pressure sensor, 153 ... pressure detection circuit.

Claims (5)

At least one sample dispensing mechanism to dispense the specimen into the reaction vessel from a sample container, a dispensing detection mechanism for detecting whether the dispensing of the sample was successful in dispensing mechanism, comprising a plurality With an analysis unit of
A sample transport mechanism for transporting a sample between the plurality of analysis units;
A storage unit for storing sample information;
When the dispensing detection mechanism provided in any of the analysis units detects a clogging abnormality in the sample dispensing mechanism, a clogging abnormality occurs in the sample information registered in the storage unit regarding the sample in which the clogging abnormality has occurred. An information adding unit for adding information indicating that
The analysis unit determines whether to dispense or stop the sample in the analysis unit based on whether there is information indicating that a clogging abnormality has occurred in the sample information registered in the storage unit. An automatic analyzer characterized by comprising a determination unit that performs the operation . The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
An automatic analyzer comprising alarm output means for outputting an alarm when the dispensing detection mechanism detects an abnormality. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the dispensing detection mechanism detects an abnormality of dispensing based on a pressure value in the dispensing flow path. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
An automatic analyzer characterized in that the dispensing detection mechanism detects an abnormality in dispensing by using a fluctuation value of an optical refractive index of a liquid. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
The same sample is stored in multiple sample containers,
When information indicating that a clogging abnormality has occurred in the storage unit by the information adding unit is added to the sample stored in one of the plurality of sample containers,
The automatic analysis apparatus, wherein the information adding unit adds the information to the storage unit even for a sample stored in another sample container among the plurality of sample containers.

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