JPH08101199A - Blood coagulation analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] After the analysis, discard the cuvette after the reaction solution in the cuvette is completely solidified. [Structure] It is judged from the analysis result whether or not the coagulation reaction of the reaction liquid has been completed, and the cuvette 20 judged to have completed the coagulation reaction is discarded by the arm 31 to the cuvette disposal unit 5 as it is. On the other hand, for the cuvette 20 determined to have not completed the coagulation reaction, the normal amount of the normal sample placed at the position E of the sample transfer unit 7 is equal to the sample amount dispensed by the sampling probe 6 in the analysis. Dispense. After that, the cuvette 20 is discarded by the arm 31 in the cuvette discarding section 5 after being left for a certain time longer than the time required for the solidification to be completed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an analyzer for automatically analyzing blood coagulation reaction in the field of clinical examination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to measure a blood coagulation reaction, a sample and a reagent are put in a cuvette and the cuvette is moved to a coagulation reaction measurement site for measurement. Most blood coagulation reaction analyzers are equipped with a photometer at the measurement site, which irradiates the cuvette with measurement light from a light source and detects scattered light from the sample reaction solution with a photodetector.

In order to improve the processing capability of blood coagulation reaction analysis, there is also an analyzer in which a plurality of measurement sites are provided and the cuvettes of the number of the measurement sites are sequentially transferred to the measurement sites for parallel processing. . As another blood coagulation reaction analyzer, there is also an apparatus in which a cuvette containing a sample and a reagent can be selectively transferred to a plurality of measurement sites (see JP-A-61-280572).

In order to simplify the mechanism for performing operations such as supply and disposal of cuvettes, sample dispensing, and reagent dispensing, and to enhance the processing capacity, the present inventors hold a plurality of cuvettes detachably held. As a reaction section to be used, there has been proposed one including a plurality of measurement section modules each having a function of measuring a coagulation reaction of a sample solution for each cuvette (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-58242).
-109742). In any of the blood coagulation reaction analyzers, the cuvette after the analysis is discarded without any special post-treatment.

[0005]

The measurement time is set to the length of time for which coagulation is completed for a normal sample.
In the case of abnormal samples, the coagulation reaction may not be completed within the set measurement time. Even after that, when the analysis for the set time is completed, even the cuvette which has not been completely solidified is discarded as it is in the cuvette discard section. Therefore, the reaction liquid flowing out from the cuvette may be solidified by being left for a long time, stuck to the cuvette waste container, or the discarded cuvette may be fixed to the cuvette waste container. As a result, the cuvette accumulated in the cuvette waste container cannot be removed smoothly, or the reaction liquid is a biological system and the reaction liquid solidified in the cuvette waste container remains stuck to the reaction liquid. May corrode and give off an offensive odor, or become a hotbed for various bacteria. Therefore, the present invention aims to prevent the reaction solution flowing out of the cuvette from adhering to the cuvette disposal container by discarding the cuvette after the reaction solution in the cuvette is completely solidified after the analysis. To do.

[0006]

In the present invention, a cuvette after the analysis is provided with a reagent which causes a coagulation reaction by reacting with a normal sample or a reagent used for the analysis or a reagent for an item other than the analysis item of the sample. Add and discard the cuvette after a period of time to ensure solidification of the cuvette.

When the reaction liquid in a certain cuvette is not completely coagulated after the completion of the analysis, either of the following two methods is performed to coagulate the reaction liquid. (1) Method of adding a normal sample: A normal sample is added to the cuvette after the analysis using a sampling probe. Appropriate amount of addition is the amount dispensed at the time of measurement. Pooled plasma or the like can be used as the normal sample. When a normal sample is added to the cuvette after the analysis, the reagent dispensed into the cuvette at the time of analysis will surely coagulate within 60 seconds regardless of the item of the reagent.

(2) Method of adding reagent: The reagent is added to the cuvette after the analysis is completed. An example of the reagent added at this time is a reagent that reacts with the reagent used for the analysis to cause a coagulation reaction. For example, such reagents include F
When a reagent for complex factor T or H item analysis is added to the reaction liquid for ib item analysis, a coagulation reaction occurs with the characteristics of each reagent regardless of the sample. On the contrary, the reagent for the Fib item analysis may be added to the reaction solution for the complex factor T or H item analysis. Another example of the reagent to be added is a reagent for an item other than the analysis item when the sample amount is large. For example, since the reaction solution of the items PT and APTT originally has a large amount of sample, even if the sample has a small amount of fibrinogen, F
Addition of the ib reagent causes a coagulation reaction immediately.

[0009]

In the case of a normal sample, the coagulation reaction is completed within the measurement time, so that the reaction solution does not flow out of the cuvette even if the cuvette after the measurement is discarded in the cuvette discard container. A cuvette of a reaction solution, such as an abnormal sample, in which the coagulation reaction is not completed within the measurement time is also discarded in the cuvette waste container after being coagulated according to the present invention, so that there is no problem of the reaction solution flowing out from the cuvette.

[0010]

1 to 5 show an example of a blood coagulation analyzer to which the present invention is applied and its basic operation. FIG. 1 shows the entire apparatus. The reaction section 1 has a disk-shaped table, which can be rotated in a reciprocating direction by a drive mechanism (not shown) and stopped. Sixteen measuring unit modules 2 are arranged at equal intervals on the circumference of the table.

As shown in FIG. 2, each measuring section module 2 detachably holds one cuvette 20 in which a sample and a reagent are dispensed, and irradiates the sample solution in the cuvette 20 with measuring light. A light source 22 such as an LED and a photodetector 24 such as a photodiode provided on an axis in a direction orthogonal to the incident direction of the measurement light in order to detect scattered light of the measurement light by the sample liquid. There is.

A cuvette transfer section 3 is provided near the reaction section 1, and the cuvette transfer section 3 is equipped with a cuvette on the measurement section module 2 at a position A on the circumference of the table of the reaction section 1 or the measurement section. An arm 31 for removing the cuvette from the module 2 is provided. Arm 31
In addition to the position A, the cuvette is supplied to the cuvette supply part 4 to receive the cuvette and the cuvette discard part 5 to a position to discard the cuvette. The cuvette transfer unit 3 takes out the cuvettes stored in the cuvette supply unit 4 one by one and moves them to the position A of the reaction unit 1.
The cuvette is transferred to and mounted in the measuring section module in (1) or the cuvette after the measurement at the position A of the reaction section 1 is taken out and discarded in the cuvette discarding section 5. In this example, the cuvette transfer unit 3 has both the functions of supplying and discarding the cuvette, but the supply and the discard of the cuvette may be realized by a mechanism such as another arm.

A sampling probe 6 is provided near the reaction unit 1, sucks the sample transferred to the position C of the sample transfer unit 7 of the rack system, and measures unit module located at the position B of the reaction unit 1. Dispense the sample into the cuvette.
A reagent probe 9 is further provided in the vicinity of the reaction unit 1, a predetermined reagent is sucked from a plurality of reagents 8 according to the measurement item, and the reagent is placed in the cuvette of the measurement unit module at the position D of the reaction unit 1. Dispense. Reference numeral 10 denotes a syringe pump, which is connected to the sampling probe 6 and the reagent probe 9 by piping, and performs a predetermined amount of suction and discharge. An operation unit 11 includes a keyboard, a CRT, a printer, and the like.

A control unit is provided to control the operation of each unit. Next, the operation of the control unit will be described.
FIG. 3 shows the cuvette transfer unit 3, the sampling probe 6,
This shows the operation of the reagent probe 9 and the like.
The cycle consists of 15 seconds. Each operation of cuvette supply, sample dispensing, cuvette discharge, and reagent dispensing is assigned to one cycle, and even if these operations are included, one cycle is included only once.

In the sample transfer section 7, sample identification information is attached to the sample container by a bar code or the like, and the identification information of the sample container to be dispensed next is read by a bar code reader or the like to recognize the measurement item. It Then, the sample is transferred to the position C. In the reaction part 1, the open measuring part module is moved to the position A, and the cuvette transfer part 3 supplies a new cuvette to the measuring part module in the position A. The measuring unit module supplied with the cuvette is transferred to the position B, and the sample at the position C of the rack is dispensed by the sampling probe 6 in a predetermined amount. In the sample for which measurement has been completed, although the reaction liquid has completed coagulation, the measurement unit module is transferred to the position A of the reaction unit 1, and the cuvette of the measurement unit module is discarded by the cuvette transfer unit 3 to the cuvette discarding unit 5. It

The cuvette of the measuring unit module after a certain time has elapsed from the supply of the cuvette or the sample dispensing is transferred to the position D, and the reagent 8 of the measurement item of the sample in the cuvette is selected and dispensed by the reagent probe 9. The coagulation reaction process is measured by the measuring module simultaneously with the dispensing of the reagent. In the next cycle, the measurement of the next item is controlled using another measurement module in the same sequence as in the above cycle. In the measurement module, the measurement is continued until the coagulation reaction is completed, regardless of the operations of supplying and discarding the cuvette, dispensing the sample, and dispensing the reagent.

FIG. 4 shows a basic mode for each item. Depending on the measurement items, some reagents need to be dispensed only once and others need to be dispensed twice. For example, PT (prothrombin time), F
IB (Fibrinogen) and TH (Thrombotest
Hepaplastin test) may be dispensed with one reagent, but APT
For T (activated partial thromboplastin time), actin must be dispensed in advance, activated for a certain period of time, and then a triggering reagent must be dispensed. In FIG. 4, the symbol “se” is the cuvette supply, “S” is the sample dispensing, “A” is the APTT actin dispensing, “R” is the trigger reagent dispensing,
"Discharge" represents cuvette discharge.

PT and TH operate in the same manner. PT and T
For H, the cuvette is supplied in the first cycle, the sample is dispensed, the temperature is kept warm for two cycles, and then the trigger reagent is dispensed in the fourth cycle. After dispensing the trigger reagent, the measurement is started, and when the blood coagulation is detected, the measurement is completed and the cuvette is ejected. In the FIB, the cuvette is supplied and the sample is dispensed in the first cycle, and the trigger reagent is dispensed in the fourth cycle after keeping the temperature for 2 cycles. The measurement time after dispensing the trigger reagent is fixed at 90 seconds,
The cuvette is discharged after 0 seconds.

In the APTT, the cuvette is supplied and the sample is dispensed in the first cycle, and similarly, the actin is dispensed as the first reagent in the fourth cycle after keeping the heat retention time for the second cycle. After actin dispensing, a certain period of 165 seconds is left for activation, then the trigger reagent is dispensed to start the measurement, and the cuvette is discharged after the blood coagulation is detected.

In FIG. 4, the time until the first reagent is dispensed is constant regardless of the measurement items so that the first reagent is dispensed in the fourth cycle after two cycles from the cuvette supply and specimen dispensing cycles. I have to.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the entire operation. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the reaction unit 1 includes 16 measuring unit modules 2, but in the operation example of FIG. 5, a case where analysis is performed using 12 measuring unit modules will be described as an example. As shown in FIG. 4, the first reagent is dispensed after a fixed time has elapsed since the cuvette was supplied or the sample was dispensed. If the sample is dispensed in that cycle, the portion painted out in black in FIG. 5 is the timing of the first reagent dispensing of that sample and the APT of another sample.
When T measurement is performed but the timing of dispensing the trigger reagent of the second reagent may overlap in the same cycle,
It means that the cuvette supply of the sample and the sample dispensing are shifted by one cycle. Thus, 2 in 1 cycle
Timing is controlled so that it is not necessary to dispense the reagent twice.

As for the timing of discharging the cuvette after the measurement is completed, as indicated by a (discharge) symbol in FIG. 5, so that it is not necessary to discharge the cuvette at the same timing between different cuvettes, The cuvette discharge at that timing is controlled to be shifted by one cycle. The lower table in FIG. 5 shows the measurement items of sampled samples and the cuvette numbers used in association with the upper table.

After the analysis, a normal sample is added to the reaction solution in which the coagulation reaction is not completed, such as an abnormal sample, to complete the coagulation. The operation in that case is shown in FIG. From the analysis results, it is judged whether the coagulation reaction of the reaction solution is completed or not. In this determination, since the change in the scattered light amount is generally detected in order to detect the coagulation reaction, it can be determined from the amount of change in the scattered light amount. The cuvette 20 determined to have completed the coagulation reaction is directly discarded by the arm 31 in the cuvette discarding unit 5.
On the other hand, for the cuvette 20 determined to have not completed the coagulation reaction, the normal amount of the normal sample placed at the position E of the sample transfer unit 7 is equal to the sample amount dispensed by the sampling probe 6 in the analysis. Dispense. After that, the cuvette 20 is allowed to stand for a certain time longer than the time required for the solidification to be completed, and then the cuvette 20 is moved by the arm 31 to the cuvette discarding unit 5.
To discard.

When this cuvette disposal program is applied to the example of the blood coagulation analyzer shown in FIGS.
Since there is a cycle in which the cuvette is not filled and the specimen is not dispensed by filling it in black, the normal specimen is dispensed to the cuvette in which the coagulation reaction is not completed using this cycle. After the normal sample is dispensed, the cuvette should be discarded after a certain time has elapsed.
There is no cycle.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the sample transfer section 7 is of the rack type, but it may be of the turntable type. In addition, although the reaction unit 1 is of a turntable type in FIG. 1, the reaction unit 1 may be one in which the measuring unit modules are connected by a chain to perform a linear movement, or one in which another type of movement is performed. .

The blood coagulation analyzer to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the one shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, and may be a device generally used conventionally. Further, instead of adding a normal sample to a cuvette in which the coagulation reaction has not been completed after the analysis is completed, a reagent is placed at the position E of the sample transfer unit 7 and the reagent is added. Good.

If the cuvette to which the normal sample or the reagent is added is limited to the cuvette in which the coagulation reaction is not completed after the analysis, there is an advantage that the usage amount of the normal sample or the reagent is reduced. However, without making such a distinction, a normal sample or a reagent for coagulation may be added to all the cuvettes after the analysis is completed.

In order to add a normal sample or reagent, instead of using a sample probe or a reagent probe used for normal analysis in a blood coagulation analyzer, a separate nozzle is provided and a cuvette after the analysis is selected. Alternatively or separately, a dispensing mechanism may be provided to add a normal sample or reagent to all cuvettes.

[0029]

According to the present invention, since the reaction liquid in the cuvette to be discarded is completely coagulated, the reaction liquid flowing out of the cuvette waste container is not contaminated and the uncoagulated reaction liquid is scattered. Maintenance and hygiene problems due to spills are eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a measuring unit module in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of one cycle of operation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a basic mode of a measurement item.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an overall operation in one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a cuvette discarding operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Reaction Part 2 Measuring Part Module 3 Cuvette Transfer Part 4 Cuvette Supply Part 5 Cuvette Disposal Part 6 Sampling Probe 7 Specimen Transfer Part 8 Reagent 9 Reagent Probe

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reaction part for detachably holding a plurality of cuvettes, a cuvette supply / discard mechanism for supplying cuvettes to the reaction part and discarding cuvettes after completion of analysis from the reaction part,
In a blood coagulation analyzer equipped with a sample dispenser that dispenses a sample into a cuvette and a reagent dispenser that dispenses a reagent into the cuvette, the cuvette after the analysis will react with the normal sample or the reagent used for the analysis. Blood containing a cuvette disposal program that adds a reagent that causes a coagulation reaction or a reagent for an item other than the analysis item of the sample, and discards the cuvette after the time when the cuvette is surely coagulated Coagulation analyzer.