JPH1138007A - Agglutinative image judging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To immediately recognize and confirm judged results by reading the state of an agglutination reaction with a camera, converting them into electric signals for image processing, and outputting the results and image data as they are with a printing device. SOLUTION: A specimen and a reagent are reacted in the wells of a micro- plate 1' having multiple wells, then the micro-plate 1' is mounted on a tray 6 and quietly thrust into an agglutinative image judging device 5. When setting is completed, the micro-plate 1' is photographed by a CCD camera 7, the signal is sent to an image process section 8, and the degrees of the agglutination reaction in the wells are arithmetically processed via the contrast data of images. The processed data are compared with the known values stored in a controller 9, and they are judged as negative (-), weak positive (±), positive (+), or unjudicable (?). The judged results and image data are outputted to a video printer 10, and they are printed together with inspection items selected in advance. The printed results are printed near well images.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an agglutination image determining apparatus for automatically determining agglutination of particles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional agglutination image determination apparatus is disclosed in
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5021, a signal from a camera is subjected to image processing and calculation processing by a computer to determine whether the agglutination reaction is positive or negative, and the result is printed out.

[0003]

The state of aggregation in the microtiter method of the particle aggregation determination method is usually visually inspected by an inspected technician. However, there is a problem that there is a risk of erroneous writing when describing. Also,
In addition to the above-described method, there is provided an agglutination image determination apparatus that automatically determines the aggregation state and prints out the result.
This eliminates the problem due to individual differences and erroneous writing, but when the cohesion state is delicate, there is a possibility that a correct judgment cannot be made, so a review by an inspection technician was required. However, since the agglutination reaction changes with time, it is difficult to store itself, and because of the simplicity, it has been impractical to store it because many tests have been performed. . For this reason, after the determination is completed, it is disposed after sterilization. Therefore, in many cases, the sample does not already exist at the time of the review, and the test is performed again by collecting blood from the patient, or when the image data is recorded on the storage medium of the computer. The technician had to re-determine by calling the data and displaying it on a television monitor. Furthermore, it is difficult for a clinician to observe the actual agglutination image when using a patient's antibody titer or change in antigen titer for therapeutic judgment, so it is inevitable to judge by simple numerical comparison. It was a situation.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problem and to provide an aggregated image judging device capable of outputting an image together with the judgment result.

[0005]

The object of the present invention is to utilize the fact that the state of the agglutination reaction is read by a camera or the like, and image processing is performed by converting the state into an electric signal. This is achieved by:

[0006]

FIG. 1 is an output example showing a result of particle agglutination determination according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an agglutination image determination device 5, and FIGS. It is an output example shown. In FIG. 2, a sample and a reagent are allowed to react in a well of a microplate (mostly 96 or 120 wells) 1 'having a plurality of wells according to an agglutination method suitable for a test item, and then placed on a tray 6 for agglutination image. Push it gently into the judgment device 5. Necessary items 4, such as a sample number, are written on the outer periphery of the microplate 1 'directly or with a tape with a marker or the like. When the setting is completed, the microplate 1 'is photographed by the CCD camera 7, the signal is transmitted by the image processing unit 8, and the degree of agglutination reaction in each well is arithmetically processed using the light and dark data of the image. The processed data is compared with a predetermined value stored in the control unit 9, and depending on each situation, a negative (-), a weak positive (±), a positive (+), and an abnormal reaction or empty state For example, (?) Is determined as a predetermined mark that cannot be determined. After the determination is completed, the above result is output to the video printer 10 together with the image data taken by the CCD camera 7, and the inspection items selected in advance (for example, in the case of an antibody test for hepatitis, anti-HB
s) and the measurement time. As shown in FIG. 1, the result 3 is printed near each well image 2 together with the microplate image 1 as shown in FIG. Naturally, since the information 4 written on the outer periphery of the microplate 1 'is also printed, there is no need to input information such as the specimen number. In addition, particle agglutination determination methods include qualitative tests (screening) performed for sieving multiple samples, confirmation tests performed when the qualitative test is positive or suspended, and quantitative tests that examine the antibody titer and antigen titer of the sample. There is. Therefore,
If the control unit stores judgment standards and output formats according to each test method, not only judgment for each well but also final results (final price) for various test methods using a plurality of wells Up to the same time. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the final result 11 of the qualitative test is output together. The test shown in the figure uses three wells for one sample, and mixes the sample and reagent in the center and right wells (the left well is used only for dilution). It is an example. This is a test method in which a control blood cell fluid is mixed in the center well and a sensitized blood cell fluid is mixed with a sample in the rightmost (third well) well, and a final determination is made according to each agglutination state. The determination criteria in this example are as follows, and are usually determined by a clinical laboratory technician as described above. According to the present invention, the result can be automatically printed as shown in the final result 11.

[0007]

[Table 1]

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the final result 12 of the confirmation test mainly performed when the qualitative test is suspended is output. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the test was performed on four samples using two rows of six wells. The upper row shows the sample and the sample diluent, and the lower row shows the sample and the test solution. , And a fixed amount of sensitized blood cells was added to each well and mixed. More specifically, the leftmost well has a sample dilution ratio of 2 times,
The second well is doubled, such as four times,
The right end (sixth well) is 64 times. Here, suppose that 25 μl of the diluting solution is temporarily added to the row (from the left end to the sixth) of the microplate, and 25 μl is added to the first well.
Add μl of sample and stir well. Remove 25 μl from the mixed diluent and sample, put into the second well on the right, and mix well. 25 μl from this well
Remove and place in the third well as well. By repeating such operations as the fourth, fifth, and sixth operations, the dilution ratio of the specimen increases each time the operation is shifted to the right by one. Next, the same amount of reagent is put into each well, and the reaction between the sample and the reagent in each well is determined by observing the aggregation image.
The judgment criterion in this example is that the number of wells that are negatively inverted in the upper row and the lower row is positive. If the difference is larger than 2 wells, the result is positive (sample No. 2). .
1). Sample No. In the case of 3, the upper row is positive to the right end, and the positive may continue even if the dilution ratio is further increased. In this case, the difference between the upper row and the lower row becomes 2 or more wells. This is an example of suspension because it was not put on.
Also in this example, the final result can be automatically printed as in the case of FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the final result 13 of the quantitative test is also output, in which seven samples are tested using all the wells (12) in one row. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 5, the amount of HBs antibody contained in the sample is examined. As in FIG. 4, the dilution ratio of the sample is higher in the right well in the figure, and the sample is negative. This is a test method in which an inverted dilution ratio is determined, and this is used as the HBs antibody titer. In this embodiment, printing can be automatically performed according to the present invention as in the above-described embodiment. Note that the final results 11, 1 shown in FIGS.
In "2" and "13", "S" means that the test was suspended and a confirmation test with further increased sensitivity was required. "R" means that the result was abnormal, such as the presence of an empty well. It means that you need.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the result of the automatic judgment by the agglutination image judging device can be output together with the actual image. Therefore, when the inspection result becomes questionable or needs to be reviewed, the actual result can be obtained at any time. The state of the agglutination reaction and the determination result can be examined. At the same time, the final result can be output at the same time, so that the judgment result can be immediately recognized and confirmed. In addition, since the changes in antibody titer and antigen titer can be easily viewed not only with simple numerical values but also with agglutination images, it can be used for confirmation of clinical therapeutic effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a state diagram showing an output example of a particle aggregation determination result according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an aggregated image determination device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a state diagram showing another output example of the particle aggregation determination result according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a state diagram showing another output example of the particle aggregation determination result according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a state diagram showing another output example of the particle aggregation determination result according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a microplate image, 1 'is a microplate,
2 is an image of a well, 3 is a judgment result for each well, 4 is necessary information written on the outer periphery of the microplate 1 ', 5 is an aggregating image judging device, 6 is a tray, 7 is a CCD camera, and 8 is image processing. , 9 a control unit, 10 a video printer, 11, 1
Reference numerals 2 and 13 are print examples of the final result.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tadashi Tatehara 1060 Takeda, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Pref. Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] An image signal obtained by mixing a specimen and a reagent in a well of a microplate having a plurality of wells and photographing the state of aggregation with a camera to process aggregation,
An agglutination image judging device for judging non-agglutination, wherein the judgment result is output simultaneously with the image from the camera. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an agglutination reaction state in each of the wells is automatically determined, and the result is superimposed and output near the well corresponding to each of the images captured by the camera. Item 3. The aggregation image determination device according to Item 1. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined mark is output together with an image to an empty well or a well determined as an abnormal reaction in the determination result of the agglutination reaction state in each of the wells. Aggregate image determination device. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a final result of an inspection performed using a plurality of wells is output together with an image captured by the camera. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output destination is a printing apparatus having a video input terminal.