JP4734145B2 - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that performs qualitative / quantitative analysis of biological components such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that includes a reagent management system that manages a reagent used for analysis using an identification mark such as a barcode. .

  In an automatic analyzer that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of specific components in biological samples such as blood and urine, a reagent that reacts with specific components in biological samples and changes color is added to the sample, and the color of the sample changes ( In general, a change in absorbance is measured using a photometer or the like. In such an automatic analyzer, reagents necessary for measurement are placed on the apparatus in advance before starting the analysis of the sample. Recently, due to improvements in reagents, the number of analysis items that can be measured by the automatic analyzer has increased. The types of reagents are also increasing. In addition, since recent automatic analyzers can accurately measure changes in absorbance using a photometer, it is necessary to correct the influence of the production lot on the analysis result even with the same type of reagent. Thus, it is necessary to input and memorize | store the information regarding many reagents in an automatic analyzer before a measurement. Direct input of such a large amount of information to the apparatus operator places a burden on the operator, and input errors directly lead to measurement errors. Therefore, in recent automatic analyzers, information (parameters) related to the reagent are stored in a reagent container. A system has been adopted in which a recorded identifier (barcode, semiconductor storage device, magnetic recording medium, etc.) is attached and information is automatically taken in by an automatic analyzer reading the identifier.

  Such a system is described in Patent Document 1, for example.

JP 2005-121492 A

  In the automatic analyzer, what is actually measured is a change in absorbance that reflects a change in the color of the reaction solution of the sample and the reagent, and the concentration of the measurement target component cannot be directly measured. In order to convert the change in absorbance into a concentration, before measuring a specimen (sample), a sample having a known concentration (referred to as a standard sample, calibrator, etc.) is measured in advance to create a calibration curve. Based on this, the measured value (absorbance change, etc.) is converted into a concentration value.

  When a new reagent is used for analysis, a calibration curve is created for the reagent before measurement, but if the reagent installed in the device is not used up within the day, it is removed from the device and removed from the device. It is generally stored in the reagent storage location.

  However, since unused reagents and reagents in use taken out of the device are generally stored at the reagent storage location outside the device, the calibration curve is laid and installed in the device before. And a reagent that does not have a calibration curve because it is unused, it is installed on the apparatus, and the presence or absence of the calibration curve is determined only when the apparatus reads the identification information of the reagent. Also, regarding the remaining amount of the reagent, an accurate numerical value can be found only after it is installed in the apparatus. If it is determined that it is necessary to create a calibration curve after installing the instrument, then preparation of standard samples, measurement settings, etc. must be performed. Also, if there is a calibration curve already prepared with the same type of reagent, it is possible to save time for calibration curve creation by installing it in the apparatus.

  In the present invention, there is provided an automatic analyzer capable of saving labor required for erection of a reagent by notifying an operator of the presence or absence of a calibration curve or an estimated remaining amount of a reagent before erection of a reagent on the apparatus. For the purpose.

(1) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is used for analysis in an automatic analyzer that sequentially dispenses and reacts specimens and reagents in a plurality of reaction vessels, and measures each of the reacted liquids. Provided with reagent storage means, means for reading registered information attached to the reagent container outside the reagent storage means, and means for displaying the position information on the reagent disk that recommends erection of the reagent based on the read reagent information It is an automatic analyzer characterized.
(2) Preferably, in the above (1), the means for reading the reagent information attached to the reagent container reads the barcode information attached to the reagent container.
(3) Preferably, in the above (1), the means for reading reagent information attached to the reagent container reads an ID tag such as an RFID attached to the reagent container.
(4) In the above (1), preferably, the recommended position for installing a reagent is based on the presence or absence of a calibration curve.
(5) In the above (1), preferably, the recommended position for installing the reagent is based on the combination information of the reagent containers.
(6) In the above (1), preferably, the reagent information to be displayed is a remaining amount at the time of the previous registration of the reagent.
(7) In the above (1), preferably, the recommended position for installing the reagent is based on contamination information of the reagent.

  According to the present invention, when an operator installs an individual reagent bottle on the apparatus during reagent registration, the reagent bottle can be installed while checking the presence or absence of a calibration curve. Measurement costs can be reduced by reducing the consumption of reagents / standard solutions.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. The reaction vessels 35 are arranged on the circumference of the reaction disk 36 on the housing 62. A reagent disk 42 is disposed inside the reaction disk 36 and a reagent disk 41 is disposed outside. A plurality of reagent containers 40 can be installed on the circumference of each of the reagent disks 41 and 42. One or two reagents are contained in one reagent container 40. A transport mechanism 12 for moving the rack 11 on which the sample container 10 is placed is installed near the reaction disk 36. Rails 25 and 26 are arranged on the reagent disk 41 and the reagent disk 42. The rail 25 includes reagent probes 20 and 21 movable in a direction parallel to the rail and in the vertical direction. Removable reagent probes 22 and 23 are installed. The reagent probes 20, 21, 22, and 23 are connected to reagent pumps not shown in the figure. Between the reaction vessel 35 and the transport mechanism 12, sample probes 15 and 16 that can be rotated and moved up and down are installed. Each of the sample probes 15 and 16 is connected to a sample pump not explicitly shown in the figure. Around 36, stirring devices 30 and 31, a light source 50, a detection optical device 51, and a container cleaning mechanism 45 are arranged. The container cleaning mechanism 45 is connected to a cleaning pump 46 not explicitly shown in the figure. Sample probes 15, 16, reagent probe 20,
A cleaning port 54 is installed in each operation range of the 21, 22, 23, and the stirring devices 30, 31.

  Next, the reagent registration procedure in this example is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the reagent container 40 of FIG. A barcode is attached to the reagent container 40, and the operator reads the reagent barcode before putting the reagent into the reagent disk 41 or 42 by the reagent barcode reader 65 installed outside the reagent disks 41 and 42 on the apparatus. (S001). Next, reagent information as shown in FIG. 3 can be displayed on a display screen displaying reagent information installed on the apparatus. The reagent information is not necessarily displayed on the display screen installed on the apparatus, and may be displayed on the control screen of the apparatus. The reagent information includes not only the item name, reagent lot, and expiration date, but also if the reagent bottle has been installed in the device before, the reagent disk that was previously calibrated when the reagent was registered. Depending on the position information and measurement items, there are items that require two types of reagents called the first reagent and the second reagent when performing the measurement, but the combination information of the bottle when the calibration is performed is also displayed. It is also possible. As a result, it is possible to use the calibration result when the reagent was previously registered at the time of measurement, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary consumption of the standard solution and the reagent at the time of calibration. In addition, in the case of items that require two types of reagents for measurement, when the first reagent is already installed in the apparatus, the first reagent is installed when installing the second reagent. It is also possible to display in consideration of the position. In addition, when a reagent is first installed in the apparatus, a reagent position that recommends reagent installation can be displayed based on contamination information between reagents.

  Next, the operator refers to the screen and installs the reagent bottle on the reagent disk 41 or 42 according to the display screen (S003).

After the above procedure is repeated until the operator installs all the reagent bottles that the operator wishes to register in the apparatus, the operator closes the lid of the reagent disk 41 or 42 not shown in FIG. The apparatus is instructed to register the reagent remaining amount (S005). When the apparatus recognizes that the lid of the reagent disk 41 or 42 has been closed, the apparatus automatically detects the bar attached to the reagent container 40 by the bar code reader 63 or 64 arranged beside the reagent disk 41 or 42. After recognizing the code and registering the reagent, the reagent information is registered in the control computer 60 of the apparatus.

  Next, the analysis procedure in the present embodiment will be described.

  Here, an analysis procedure in accordance with a two-reagent analysis method (analysis method in which two types of reagents are dispensed and reacted with a sample with a time difference) will be described.

  A sample to be inspected, such as blood, is placed in the sample container 10, placed on a rack 11, and carried by a transport mechanism 12. A sample collected by the sample probe 15 is dispensed into a reaction container 35 arranged in a certain amount on the reaction disk 36, and a certain amount of the first reagent is supplied from the reagent container 40 installed on the reagent disk 41 or 42 to the reagent probe. It dispenses from 21 or 22 and is stirred by the stirring devices 30 and 31. Thereafter, the second reagent is again dispensed from the reagent probe 21 or 22 from the reagent container 40 installed in the reagent disk 41 or 42 into the reaction container 35 after the lapse of a specified time, and stirred by the stirring devices 30 and 31. After reacting for a certain period of time, it is measured by the detection optical device 51 and output to the control computer 60 as a measurement result. If more measurement items are requested, the above sampling is repeated. Similarly, the process is repeated for all the samples on the rack 11 until sampling of the set measurement items is completed.

  FIG. 5 shows reagent container information, reading means and display means of the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as soon as the barcode information of the reagent container is read by the unit 67 in which the reagent container information reading means and the display means installed outside the reagent disks 41 and 42 are integrated, the display means on the back of the reading means. The reagent information of the reagent container is displayed.

The top view in an Example. The reagent container example in an Example. The flow for recommending the reagent installation position in the example. The reagent installation position recommendation screen in an Example. Another embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Sample container, 11 ... Rack, 12 ... Conveyance mechanism, 14 ... Sample pump, 15, 16 ... Sample probe, 20, 21, 22, 23 ... Reagent probe, 24 ... Reagent pump, 25, 26 ... Rail, 30, 31 ... Stirring device, 35 ... Reaction container, 36 ... Reaction disk, 40 ... Reagent container, 41, 42 ... Reagent disk, 45 ... Container cleaning mechanism, 46 ... Cleaning pump, 50 ... Light source, 51 ... Detection optical device 54 ... Cleaning port, 60 ... Control computer,
62: A housing.

Claims (6)

A reagent container with an identification information recording means for recording the identification information of the receiving to and reagents,
A reagent container holding unit for holding the reagent container,
Identification information reading means for reading the identification information of the reagent provided outside of the reagent container holding unit,
Based on the identification information read by the identification information reading means, if it is detected that the reagent bottle has been previously installed in the apparatus, the reagent disk that has been calibrated before the reagent registration has been performed. An automatic analyzer comprising display means for displaying position information . A reagent container provided with identification information recording means for recording identification information of the contained reagent;
A reagent container holding means for holding the reagent container;
Identification information reading means for reading identification information of the reagent provided outside the reagent container holding means;
Based on the identification information read by the identification information reading means, if it is detected that the reagent bottle was previously installed in the apparatus, the bottle when the calibration was performed when the reagent was registered before An automatic analyzer comprising display means for displaying the combination information . The automatic analyzer according to claim 1 or 2,
Wherein based on the identification information read by the identification information reading means, an automatic analyzer characterized by comprising a function of displaying a recommended installation position of the reagent container in the reagent container holding unit. In the automatic analyzer in any one of Claims 1-3,
The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the identification information reading means is either a bar code or a semiconductor storage medium. The automatic analyzer according to claim 3,
The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the recommended installation position of the reagent container is determined based on information on whether or not a calibration curve has already been created for the reagent in the read reagent container. The automatic analyzer according to claim 3,
The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the recommended installation position of the reagent container is determined based on the read combination information of the reagent container.

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