JP2000065744A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To provide an automatic analyzer which is less affected by drift of a photometer. A part of a reaction vessel is not used for a reaction, and the same substance is always filled in a vessel that is not used for the reaction during a measurement. The absorbance is always corrected to a measured value based on the absorbance of a container filled with the same substance.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for quantitatively or qualitatively analyzing components such as blood and urine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a measuring method of an automatic analyzer, a method is used in which a reaction disk in which reaction vessels are arranged on a circumference is rotated, and the absorbance is measured at the moment when the reaction vessel crosses the optical axis of a photometer. ing. After the reaction is completed, the reaction vessel is often washed and used repeatedly. After the washing, purified water is injected and the cell blank is measured.
The cell blank corresponds to the absorbance at the origin (zero point) of each reaction vessel, and has a function of correcting contamination of the reaction vessel or correcting drift of the photometer.

[0003] However, this cell blank measurement is performed only once per reaction time (about once every 12 minutes if the reaction time is 10 minutes). There was no way to correct for the drift that occurred during the reaction time, so if a drift occurred during the reaction time, it appeared as a swell in the data.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer which does not affect the analysis data even if a drift occurs in the photometer. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analyzer that can measure even if the photometer is not completely stabilized after the power of the device is turned on.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems Either the inside of the reaction vessel is hermetically filled with the same substance, or several reaction vessels having a solid shape are inserted into the reaction disk. Each time the rotation of the reaction disk is stopped repeatedly, the absorbance of the reaction vessel during the reaction across the optical axis and the absorbance of the solid reaction vessel are obtained. The absorbance of the reaction vessel during the reaction is corrected so as to be based on the absorbance of the solid reaction vessel measured at or near the same rotation cycle.

That is, since the inside of a solid reaction vessel is always completely uniform and constant, it can be used as a zero point reference of a photometer. Therefore, it can be used as an origin for drift correction. Since the absorbance of the solid reaction vessel measured at the same rotation cycle or at a time near the same is used as the origin, accurate correction can be made.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a reaction disk 2 embodying the present invention. This is an example in which 20 reaction vessels 1 are arranged on a circumference and one of the reaction vessels 10 is removed. The solid reaction vessel is sealed with sterile pure water. Since it has been sterilized, mold does not develop on the inner surface for a long time. Alternatively, a block-shaped (rectangular) object made of quartz glass may be used. The sample contained in the sample container 5 is dispensed into the reaction container 1 by the sample dispensing mechanism 6. In 36 seconds, the rotation is completed by one rotation plus one reaction vessel (21 reaction vessels) and stopped.
The reagent 8 is added by the reagent dispensing mechanism. The reaction starts in the reaction vessel. At the moment when the reaction vessel crosses the optical axis 4 of the photometer 3, the absorbance is measured.

Then, 1 reaction vessel
There is a chance to cross the optical axis 16 times during the 0 minute reaction time, and 16 measurement results ASn (n = 1,..., 1)
6) is obtained. Similarly, 16 measurement results A0n (n = 1,..., 16) are obtained for a solid reaction vessel. As the data processing,

[0009]

## EQU00001 ## The following data processing is performed: Bn = ASn-A0n (n = 1,..., 16).

FIG. 2 shows Asn, A0n, and Bn. The horizontal axis shows time, and the vertical axis shows absorbance.

Although undulation has occurred in ASn due to the drift of the photometer, Bn has been corrected and the undulation has disappeared.

Or

[0013]

## EQU2 ## By using the equation of Bn = Asn- (A0n + A0n-1) / 2, noise is averaged and reduced,
Undulation correction can be made effectively.

A reaction disk composed of 20 reaction vessels is used for an automatic analyzer having a low processing capacity. However, an automatic analyzer having a high processing capacity requires a large number of reaction vessels. For example, with an automatic analyzer with a 4.5 second cycle (800 tests / hour), taking a reaction time of 10 minutes,
160 reaction vessels are required for one round of the reaction disk. In that case, as shown in JP-A-58-68670, a 1/4 rotation system is employed. That is, if one rotation plus one reaction container (161 reaction containers) is rotated in 4.5 seconds, the speed of the reaction container traversing the optical axis of the photometer is too high, and the photometric accuracy is reduced. Rotate 41 reaction vessels within .5 seconds. In that case, it is preferable to insert four solid reaction containers every 40. Alternatively, two solid reaction vessels may be inserted every 80 (A0n is obtained every 9 seconds).

The reaction vessel needs to be washed after the completion of the reaction. For this purpose, the cleaning nozzle 11 is inserted, the detergent is injected and sucked up, rinsed with pure water, sucked up and dried, and reused. A plurality of cleaning nozzles (2 in FIG. 1)
Book) is required, but the nozzle must be controlled to be vertically insertable independently. This is because a washing nozzle cannot be inserted into a solid reaction vessel. When the solid reaction vessel comes under the washing nozzle, the nozzle passes without doing anything without descending.

When the cleaning nozzle is independently controlled, there is the following method for applying the function.

It is an extension of the reaction time. In the case of items in which sufficient color development (change in absorbance) cannot be obtained with a reaction time of 10 minutes, it is often sufficient to lengthen the reaction time. When one rotation of the reaction disk plus one rotation of the reaction vessel is repeated, one round is performed in about 12 minutes. In the case of an item for which the reaction time is to be extended, even if the reaction is stopped under the washing nozzle after 10 minutes, the washing nozzle is not inserted (does not descend) and is passed to the second round. . After the second round, the sample is not injected into the reaction vessel because the reaction solution whose reaction time is being extended is contained in the reaction vessel. Reagents can be added if necessary.

After a reaction of 12 minutes + 10 minutes = 22 minutes (measurement during that time), the reaction vessel stops again under the washing nozzle, so that the washing nozzle is inserted and washed. In this way, it is possible to measure a long reaction item and to simultaneously analyze a standard reaction time (one cycle) in a short reaction line. If you move to the third lap, it will be 34
Measurement is possible up to minute reaction.

When the reaction time is extended, the drift of the photometer is very problematic. Since there is no color sensitivity, the reaction time is extended, and if there is a drift there is no longer any sense of extension. If the drift correction according to the present invention is performed, drift correction can be performed every few seconds, so that very good and stable analysis accuracy can be obtained.

There is another application of the independent control of the cleaning nozzle.

This is a method that enables a reaction vessel to be washed with a detergent. Items that use reagents that are easily adsorbed to the reaction vessel are often stained when left in detergent for a long time. After the reaction for 10 minutes, the detergent is poured into the reaction vessel from the first-stage washing nozzle, and the reaction is transferred to the second round without removing the detergent (without inserting the subsequent-stage nozzle) without removing the detergent. After the detergent is placed for 12 minutes (the second lap is completed), it is sucked up, rinsed with water, dried, and reused.

It is important to completely clean the reaction vessel with a detergent as an operation for ending the day in order to prevent accumulation of dirt. The above-described detergent-washing for 12 minutes is quite effective.

When it is determined that the analysis is nearing completion and there is no subsequent analysis request, the apparatus automatically shifts to a detergent-washing operation for 12 minutes. That is, the process is shifted to the detergent application in the second cycle. If an urgent analysis request is issued during the detergent placement operation, the second and subsequent rinsing steps may be performed, and the rinsed reaction vessel may be used for analysis. The automatic end of the apparatus takes 12 minutes because the washing operation is carried out by putting the detergent for 12 minutes, but the input operation is not required for the automatic shift, so that the burden on the operator can be reduced. Usually, a stirring mechanism for mixing the reagent and the sample is provided, but in the detergent attaching process in the second cycle, this stirring mechanism is used for stirring the detergent in the reaction vessel to promote the washing effect. It is effective to use it. If the ultrasonic stirring mechanism is provided, the cleaning effect of placing the detergent in the second round is further doubled.

Further, when the carryover of the reaction vessel must be completely zero, the reaction vessel may be disposable. A reaction vessel replacement mechanism is required instead of the reaction vessel cleaning mechanism. Even in such a case, the drift can be corrected by inserting a solid reaction container serving as a reference.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the drift of the photometer can be corrected every time the absorbance is measured (each time the reaction vessel crosses the optical axis of the photometer), so that accurate correction can be performed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic analyzer with sufficient washing of the reaction vessel and little carry-over since the reaction vessel can be washed with a detergent for a long time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a drift correction effect according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... reaction container, 2 ... reaction disk, 3 ... photometer, 4 ... optical axis, 5 ... sample container, 6 ... sample dispensing mechanism, 7 ... reagent dispensing mechanism, 8 ... reagent, 9 ... reaction vessel washing mechanism, 10: solid reaction vessel, 11: washing nozzle.

Claims (2)

[Claims] An automatic analyzer for repeatedly stopping the rotation of a reaction disk having a plurality of reaction vessels arranged therein and measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction vessel at the moment when the reaction vessels cross the optical axis of the photometer during rotation. Some of the reaction vessels are not used for the reaction, and the vessels not used for the reaction are always filled with the same substance during the measurement, and the absorbance of the reaction solution in the vessel used for the reaction is An automatic analyzer characterized by being corrected to a measured value based on the absorbance of a container always filled with the same substance. 2. When the reaction disk is stopped, a plurality of washing nozzles for injecting or sucking a detergent or washing water into a reaction vessel used for the reaction can be inserted into the reaction vessel.
In an automatic analyzer in which the washing nozzle can be inserted into the reaction vessel independently of each nozzle, and the washing nozzle is not inserted into the container filled with the same substance, after the detergent is injected, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the reaction disk is not used for analysis and is used only for washing operation or cleaning only while the reaction disk rotates once.