JPH03172762A - Automatic analysis apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the automatic equal distribution of measuring items to plural measuring units by determining the measurement number of the respective measuring units in such a manner that the measurement number is approximately equaled in accordance with measuring frequencies for the selected measuring items. CONSTITUTION:A measuring item setting section 4 selects the items to measure when the items are selected from an input device 3 and are set in the measuring item setting section 4. The frequencies % of the respective items are then calculated from the frequency coeffts. previously stored for the selected items in a measuring frequency memory section 1 or the measurement number of every item per month inputted in this facility. An equal distributing section 5 distributes the items equally to the set units in such a manner that the measurement number can be balanced between the measuring units in accordance with the frequencies of the selected items from the measuring frequency memory section 1. The measuring sequence within the measuring units of the items equally divided to the respective measuring units is determined in a measuring sequence determining section 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention is an automatic analysis method that automatically performs chemical analysis to measure the concentration and activity value of target components in samples containing multiple components such as serum and urine. It is related to the device.

(Prior art) Until now, devices equipped with one measuring unit capable of measuring multiple measurement items (hereinafter simply referred to as items) have been mainly used, but recently it has become possible to measure multiple items. An automatic analyzer a has appeared which is equipped with a plurality of possible measurement units, allows measurement items to be set for each sample, and in which the sample is commonly used by the plurality of measurement units. In automatic analyzers equipped with multiple measurement units, the user sets conditions such as allocating items to each measurement unit and determining the order of measurements within the measurement units based on experience.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) If the allocation of items to each measurement unit is not appropriate, the deposit efficiency will deteriorate. For example, only one measurement unit is taking measurements while the other measurement unit is stopped.

If the number of processes is unbalanced between measurement units, the throughput of the entire automatic analyzer will decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to distribute the items so that the number of items measured by the plurality of measurement units is approximately equal.

In addition, in the case of an analyzer in which the measurement unit has reaction cells (which also serve as photometric cells) arranged along the circumference of a reaction disk, and the reaction cells are repeatedly used.

If various items are randomly analyzed in succession using the same measurement unit, after the measurement line of the measurement unit has completed one rotation, the influence of cross-contamination between reagents (reagent amount contamination) may appear in the reaction cell, or the I111I constant item may be affected. Cross-contamination may occur in the reagent dispenser at different locations. Therefore, it is necessary to allocate items to measurement units in consideration of cross-contamination between items.
It is necessary to determine the al'J fixed order within the measurement unit. If a person who does not know whether there is an effect of cross-contamination sets the sorting of items or the measurement order, there is a possibility that incorrect measurement results will be obtained.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to distribute the items to a plurality of measurement units so as not to reduce the processing capacity once the items to be measured are set.

Another object of the present invention is to sort items so that the influence of cross-contamination is reduced.

The present invention also includes: The purpose is to automatically determine the measurement order so that the influence of cross-contamination within the measurement unit is reduced.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a plurality of measurement units capable of measuring a plurality of items, allows setting of items for each sample, and allows a sample to be measured in a plurality of measurement units. A commonly used automatic analyzer that uses a second
It is equipped with the control device shown in the figure.

1 is a measurement frequency storage section in which the expected measurement frequency of each item is set; 2 is a cross-contamination information storage section in which combinations of main items that cause cross-contamination are set; 3 is an input device such as a keyboard , 4 is a measurement item setting section for setting the selected item. ill'
The constant frequency storage unit 1 and the cross-contamination information storage unit 2 are equipped with a database, which basically stores average frequency coefficients in hospitals of various sizes,
Memorizes cross-contamination information (potentially dangerous) between items that has been learned through experience.

The contents of the database can be added to or modified using the input device 3. For example, it is possible to add and modify the monthly total number of each item in the facility used, new information regarding cross-contamination, etc.

5 indicates division, and the measurement items are assigned to each measurement unit so that the number of measurements in each measurement unit is approximately equal based on the measurement frequency set in the measurement frequency storage unit 1 for the selected item. The number of measurements for each measurement unit is calculated based on the measurement frequency set in the measurement frequency storage unit 1 and the cross-contamination information set in the cross-contamination information storage unit 2 for the selected item. Allocate items to each measurement unit so that they are approximately equal.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a measurement order determining unit, and the distribution is set in the cross-contamination information storage unit 2 when there is a combination that causes cross-contamination within the measurement units to which the items have been sorted by the unit 5. Based on the cross-contamination information and the measurement frequency set in the measurement frequency storage section 1, the measurement order of the items is determined in an order in which the influence of cross-contamination is less likely to occur.

(Function) As shown in FIG. 3, when items are selected from the input device 3 and set in the measurement item setting section 4, the section 5 distributes the selected items from the measurement frequency storage section 1. Items are distributed to measurement units based on frequency so that the number of measurements is balanced between measurement units. As for the distribution, part 5 is again.

In addition to the measurement frequency, cross-contamination information is also incorporated, and items are distributed so that the influence of cross-contamination is reduced and the number of measurements between measurement units is balanced.

The measurement order determining section 6 determines the measurement order within the measurement unit of the items assigned to each measurement unit. To determine this, for example, items are arranged in descending order of measurement frequency, or if items that are affected by cross-contamination within the measurement unit are measured consecutively, for example item E → item F, cross-contamination will occur. In this case, the measurement order is set, for example, item E→item A→item C→item F so that other items are inserted in the middle.

(Example) FIG. 1 shows an example of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a sample conveyance line, in which a sample 12 is conveyed by a belt in the direction of the arrow, stopped by a stopper at a sample dispensing position, and dispensed into the reaction cell of each measurement unit. A is a first measurement unit, and B is a second measurement unit. Transport and commonly dispense.

13a is a sample dispensing mechanism that dispenses the sample 12 in the measurement unit A to the reaction cells 14a arranged along the circumference of the reaction disk 15a. The reaction cells 14a also serve as photometric cells, are arranged along the circumference of the reaction disk 15a, and move as the reaction disk 15a rotates. The reaction disk 15a includes a colorimeter 16a that irradiates the reaction cell 14a with light and measures the absorbance from the transmitted light.
is provided. The colorimeter 16a has a light source inside the array of reaction cells 14a and a spectrometer and detector outside. The colorimeter 16a unit measures absorbance while rotating along the array of reaction cells 14a. Measurement unit A further includes reagent turntable 1.
7a is provided.

Reagents are arranged along the circumference of the reagent turntable 17a. 18a is a reagent dispensing mechanism that dispenses a reagent into the reaction cell 14a.

Measurement unit B also has a reaction disk 15b having the same structure as measurement unit A, reaction cells 14b that also serve as photometric cells are arranged around the circumference, and a colorimeter 16b for measuring absorbance is provided. ing. 13b is a sample dispensing mechanism, 17b is a reagent turntable, and 18b is a reagent dispensing mechanism, which also have the same structure as the measurement unit A.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a control device that controls the operation of the entire automatic analyzer including the operations of the surface measurement units A and B, and includes a computer. Each part shown in FIG. 2 is a control device 19.
This is realized by

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The control device 19 selects the item to be measured by the equipment of the facility from among the items shown in Table 1. For the selected items, the frequency % of each item is calculated from a pre-stored frequency coefficient or the number of measurements for each item per month input at the facility.

In Table 1, the item number with a circle is the selected item.

The percentage in parentheses in the frequency coefficient column of Table 1 is the frequency percentage of the selected item.

Regarding the selected items, first, among the cross-contamination information between the items stored in advance, items that should be separated into different measurement units are sorted based on information that has a large influence of cross-contamination. Assuming that the circled items in Table 1 are selected, the following six types of cross-contamination have a large effect among these items.

(1) TEA and T-B I L (D-B I L)
.

H.E. (2) LDH, GOT, GPT, 5A (3) TP and T-BIL (D-BIL).

HE (4) T-CH○ and TG (5) TG and T-B I L (D-B I L) (6
) UA and T-B I L (D-B I L) If these relationships are distributed as separate measurement units, +ll'l constant unit based on the cross-contamination information in Table 2 The distribution to A and B is the result.

Next, for the remaining selected items, if the items are sorted in order from the highest frequency % to the measurement unit with the lowest cumulative frequency %, the frequency % information in Table 2 The results can be obtained by sorting based on . However, (1) IgG, IgA, IgM, (2) C
For items such as No. 3, C4, etc., which are better to use in the same measurement unit, that information is also stored in the control device 19 as a database, and the items are sorted based on the frequency percentage of the total of those items.

Thereafter, the measurement order within each measurement unit is determined. The following settings are made based on information on medium or small influence of cross-contamination between items and information on frequency %. Arrange in descending order of frequency %, then item A → item B
If there is an effect of cross-contamination if the measurement is performed continuously, if item A is earlier than item B, item B is moved before item A. If you decide the order like this, ? Since items with high IQ constant frequency and low cross-contamination effects are analyzed at the end of each sample, cross-contamination between samples can also be avoided. When the measurement order is determined in this way, it is determined as shown in the bottom row of Table 2.

Based on the above distribution and determination of the measurement order, reagents are placed on the reagent turntables 17a and 17b, and analysis is performed.

Here, items that have a large effect of cross-contamination are (a) items where cross-contamination occurs between reaction cells, (b) items that affect each other, or (c) items that have only one side. It refers to something that has a big impact even if it only affects you. The effect of cross-contamination is medium or small, which means that the effect is only on one side, but the degree of influence is not large.

Table 2 FIG. 4 represents another embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the two measuring units A and B are arranged at different locations, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the reaction disks 25a and 25b of the two measuring units are arranged concentrically. 24a and 24b are reaction disks 25a, respectively.
, 25b is a reaction cell that also serves as a photometric cell, and the colorimeter 2
6 has a structure that can irradiate light to the reaction cells of both reaction disks 25a and 25b, and is equipped with a spectrometer and a detector for the reaction cell 24b inside the array of 1 reaction cells 24b, and outside the array of reaction cells 24a. reaction cell 24. It is equipped with a spectrometer and a detector for a. Reagent turntable 27
is used in common by the two measurement units, and each measurement unit is provided with reagent dispensing mechanisms 28a and 28b. The sample dispenser VT13 transfers the sample 12 on the sample transport line 11 to both reaction cells 24a, 24.
It is configured so that the sample can be dispensed into the tube.

The measurement frequency storage unit 1 shown in FIG. 2 creates a database in the measurement frequency storage unit 1 based on worksheet information (indicating which sample measures which item) created for the measurement on the day. Settings can be easily rearranged by setting the optimum conditions for the day or by adding newly discovered cross-contamination information to the cross-contamination storage section 2.

Although the embodiment shows an example in which two measuring units are used, the invention can also be applied to an example having three or more measuring units.

(Effects of the Invention) In the present invention, when the user inputs measurement items, the distribution of the items to multiple measurement units is automatically determined.
There is no need for the user to sort the items, the operation is simple, and the items are distributed to each measurement unit in a well-balanced manner, increasing the throughput.

By regularly reviewing the number of measurements for each item, maximum efficiency can always be achieved in response to changes in the scale of the facility and changes in the number of measurements.

In addition, when the distribution and measurement order are determined in consideration of cross-contamination information, highly reliable measurements can be performed. If cross-contamination information is provided as a database, it is possible to determine the sorting and measurement order based on the cross-contamination information even if the user has no knowledge about cross-contamination.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control part in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment. 1... Measurement frequency storage unit, 2... Cross contamination information storage unit, 3... Input device, 4... Setting item setting unit, 5...
Assignment is to section 6...measurement order determining section.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic analyzer equipped with multiple measurement units capable of measuring multiple items, measurement items can be set for each sample, and the sample is commonly used by multiple measurement units, A measurement frequency storage section in which the expected measurement frequency of each item is set, and when a measurement item is selected, each measurement is performed based on the measurement frequency set in the measurement frequency storage section for the selected measurement item. An automatic analyzer comprising: a distribution section that distributes measurement items to each measurement unit so that the number of measurements in each unit is approximately equal. (2) Further comprising a cross-contamination information storage section in which combinations of main items where cross-contamination occurs are set, and the sorting section is set in the measurement frequency storage section for the selected measurement item. 2. The measurement items are distributed to each measurement unit based on measurement frequency and cross-contamination information set in the cross-contamination information storage unit so that the number of measurements in each measurement unit is approximately equal. automatic analyzer. (3) When there is a combination in which cross-contamination occurs within the same measurement unit, the cross-contamination information set in the cross-contamination information storage section and the measurement frequency set in the measurement frequency storage section The automatic analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a measurement order determining unit that determines the measurement order of the measurement items in an order in which the influence of cross-contamination is less likely to occur based on the following.