JPH0114542B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for controlling an automatic biochemical analyzer that automatically analyzes various components of multiple samples such as blood and urine, and in particular to a multi-item automatic biochemical analyzer. This invention relates to a control method for cleaning a reagent dispenser.

In recent years, automatic analyzers have been introduced into hospital laboratories or testing centers, greatly contributing to speeding up biochemical testing and improving accuracy. Particularly recently, multi-item automatic analyzers are being used that can analyze many different types, for example, 30 items, with a single device. In such a multi-item automatic analyzer,
Generally, when dispensing a test solution into a reaction container, a special dispenser is used to dispense one type of test solution. In this case, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the dispenser and the test solution, so there is no contamination between the sample solutions in the dispenser, but when analyzing multiple items, the number of dispensers required is equal to the number of test solutions. Therefore, there is a drawback that the device becomes large and the cost increases. By improving this, parts that come into contact with the test liquid (for example, the probe that constitutes the dispensing mechanism)
There is a device that prepares only a few samples of test solution and then switches that section to dispense the sample solution into the reaction container.
Because it switches in the middle of the flow path, liquid leaks are likely to occur.
Dispensing accuracy deteriorates. In addition, there are 20 to 30 types of test solutions.
When the number of species increases, the structure of the device becomes very complicated. Furthermore, there is a device with a simpler structure that dispenses all reagents with a single dispenser, but this requires a special method for cleaning to reduce contamination between reagents, and also requires a cleaning solution. It has the disadvantage of requiring a large amount of

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art,
By reducing the number of dispensers to less than the number of reagents and making the device more compact and using a device with a simple structure with good dispensing accuracy, we can eliminate the effects of contamination between reagents in a simple manner without requiring a large amount of cleaning solution. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method by which the device can be controlled to reduce the amount of damage.

The present invention includes a reagent dispenser for dispensing a reagent into a reaction container containing a sample such as blood, and a cleaning section for cleaning the reagent dispenser, and the number of reagent dispensers is determined by the type of the reagent. When controlling an automatic biochemistry analyzer configured to automatically analyze multiple items in a sample using a common reagent dispenser, it is difficult to avoid the effects of contamination between reagents. Relationships between easy-to-use items are set or stored in the device in advance, and based on the information from this set or stored relationship, the reagent dispenser is used only when dispensing reagents that are highly affected by contamination between reagents. The present invention is characterized in that it is controlled so as to enhance the cleaning effect in the cleaning section.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a partial configuration of an example of an automatic biochemical analyzer suitable for carrying out the control method according to the present invention.

1 is a reaction lane, and a large number of reaction tubes 2 containing samples to be analyzed are intermittently sent in the direction of the arrow. The reaction tube 2 advances to a reagent dispensing position N, where a predetermined amount of reagent is dispensed by the reagent dispensing nozzle 3. For this purpose, the reagent dispensing nozzle 3 is connected to the reagent tank 4. The test liquid tank 4 contains test liquids A to L of predetermined items so that analysis of a plurality of items can be performed. This test liquid tank 4 is rotated in both directions as shown by the arrow and is placed at a predetermined position M.
The desired reagent solution can be quickly determined.

After sucking the test solution from the test solution tank 4 through the test solution dispensing nozzle 3 and dispensing this test solution into the reaction tube 2 at a predetermined position N, the reaction tube 2 moves further forward, and during this time the reaction proceeds as specified. . When the reaction tube 2 reaches a photometric position (not shown), photometry is performed. First, the reagent dispensing nozzle 3 that dispenses the reagent into the reaction tube 2 is cleaned by the washer 5. Next, the cleaned reagent dispensing nozzle 3 sucks the reagent at a predetermined position M from the reagent tank 4 and dispenses it into the reaction tube 2 at a predetermined position N. That is, in this embodiment, one dispensing nozzle 3 dispenses a plurality of test solutions (in this case, 12
seeds) can be dispensed.

In this case, since the reaction tube 2 on the reaction lane 1 dispenses multiple test solutions using the same dispensing nozzle 3 according to each analysis item, mutual contamination between test solutions may affect the analysis. be. The degree to which this contamination affects analysis varies depending on the type of test solution, and there are some items in which some degree of contamination between test solutions is not a problem. On the other hand, there are items that are greatly affected by contamination between test solutions. Examples include (1) transaminases GOT and GPT (Karmen method, etc.) and dehydrogenases LDH and α-HBD (2) items that use phosphate buffers (BUN, GLU, etc.).
etc.), inorganic phosphorus (3), reducing agents contained in iron measurement test solutions, and color-forming items using 4-aminoantipyrine (enzymatic methods such as TG, GLU, T-CHOL, etc.). Conventionally, in order to reduce the effects of contamination between test solutions, special methods were used for cleaning or large amounts of cleaning fluid were used. This method does not take into account the degree of influence of contamination between test solutions, and is wasteful in that a large amount of cleaning solution is used even between items that are less affected by contamination. In order to eliminate such waste, the effects of contamination between reagents can be reduced by controlling the cleaning so that it is more effective than normal only when items that are highly affected by contamination between reagents are consecutive. , the amount of water for washing and the time required for washing can be kept to a minimum. Therefore, focusing on this point, the present invention uses a computer to dispense only reagent liquids that are highly affected by contamination one after another based on information that is input in advance indicating the degree of influence of contamination between reagent liquids. This is intended to perform control so as to enhance the cleaning effect in the cleaning section that cleans the reagent dispenser.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an example of a control system for controlling the operation of cleaning a reagent dispenser, which is suitable for carrying out the control method according to the present invention.

Analysis item information of the specimen to be measured obtained by photometry of the reaction tube 2 described above is supplied to the central information processing unit 7 from the input device 6 (for example, a keyboard, a floppy disk, etc.). The central information processing unit 7 stores this information in the memory 8. On the other hand, among the analysis items, combinations of items that are significantly affected by contamination between test solutions are stored in the memory 8 in advance. In addition, the central information processing unit 7 also controls the reagent tank section 10, the dispenser section 12, and the cleaning section 1 via each interface 9, 11, and 13 according to a preset program.
Controls the operation of 4. In this case, the control of the cleaning section 14 that cleans the dispensing nozzle of the dispenser section 12 is divided into two types: between normal items (less affected by inter-reagent contamination) and between special items (less affected by inter-reagent contamination). Based on the information in the memory 8, it is possible to judge which of the items (larger) items is. As a result, if there are a series of special items that are highly affected by inter-reagent contamination, the cleaning section 14 is controlled to enhance the cleaning effect, such as by increasing the amount of cleaning fluid.

In addition to increasing the amount of the cleaning solution mentioned above, methods for increasing the cleaning effect include: 1. Extending the cleaning time (or cleaning multiple times).

2 Prepare multiple cleaning mechanisms, usually one
Only one unit is used, and if the cleaning effect is to be enhanced, multiple units are operated. In this case, a plurality of parts of the cleaning mechanism may be provided.

3. When using a syringe as a cleaning pump, make the stroke of the syringe variable and use it depending on the item to change the amount of cleaning fluid, fluid pressure, etc.

etc. are possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, since an apparatus is used in which the number of dispensers is smaller than the number of reagents for analysis items, the apparatus can be downsized, and the dispensing accuracy can be improved without the need for a special mechanism. Can be made into a good simple structure. Furthermore, since a computer is used to control the cleaning section that enhances the cleaning effect so as to reduce the influence of contamination between reagent solutions, the influence of contamination between reagent solutions can be efficiently avoided. In particular, it is not necessary to set the amount of cleaning solution, fluid pressure, or time required for cleaning according to the item that is most affected by contamination between test solutions. The cleaning time, etc. is sufficient.
It is possible to save washing liquid and shorten the total analysis time. In addition, saving cleaning fluid greatly contributes to reducing the required tank volume, especially in the case of a system in which cleaning water is supplied from a tank.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned example, and can be modified and modified in many ways. In the example described above, the control of the cleaning section is divided into two types, but the degree of influence can be classified finely depending on the type of reagent liquid, and control can be performed according to each type. In addition, the order of analysis items can be specified and controlled in advance using a computer to reduce the influence of contamination between reagents, or multiple dispensing nozzles can be used, or a specific dispensing method can be used for specific reagents. Even if a nozzle is used, if there are still a series of items that are significantly affected by contamination between reagents, the cleaning section can be controlled according to the control method of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a partial configuration of an example of an automatic biochemical analyzer suitable for carrying out the control method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control system for controlling the operation of cleaning the reagent dispenser. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example configuration. 1... Reaction lane, 2... Reaction tube, 3... Test solution dispensing nozzle, 4... Test solution tank, 5... Washer,
6...Input device, 7...Central information processing unit, 8...
... Memory, 9, 11, 13 ... Interface, 10 ... Test liquid tank section, 12 ... Dispenser section,
14...Cleaning section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1.Equipped with a reagent dispenser for dispensing a reagent into a reaction container containing a sample such as blood, and a cleaning section for cleaning the reagent dispenser, the number of the reagent dispensers is smaller than the type of the reagent. However, when controlling an automatic biochemistry analyzer configured to automatically analyze multiple items in a sample using a common reagent dispenser, items that are susceptible to contamination between reagents must be A cleaning method in which a relationship is set or stored in the device in advance, and the reagent dispenser is cleaned only when dispensing a reagent that is highly affected by contamination between reagents, based on information from this set or stored relationship. 1. A method for controlling an automatic biochemical analyzer, characterized in that the method is controlled to increase the cleaning effect of a part of the biochemical analyzer.