JP2011085599A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic analyzer capable of accurately capturing the deterioration of a light source lamp without providing a new detection device or the like for detecting the deterioration of the light source lamp or the like.
A reaction tube 4a, a reaction tube holder 4 containing a plurality of reaction tubes 4a, a reaction disk, an optical system 13 having a light source lamp and a light receiving sensor, a calculation means 40 for obtaining photometric data, and a control means 50, and the calculating means 40 is characterized by detecting an abnormality of the photometric system based on fluctuations in the photometric data not passing through the specimen among the obtained photometric data.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that analyzes components contained in a specimen, particularly chemical components contained in human blood, urine, and the like, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that detects an abnormality of a light source lamp.

  Conventionally, in an automatic analyzer that measures the absorbance of a specimen by photometric data obtained by transmitting light emitted from a light source lamp through a reaction tube containing the specimen and receiving the transmitted light by a light receiving sensor. In order to detect fluctuations in the amount of light that occurs at the end of the life of the light source lamp, etc., it is necessary to rely on troubleshooting after the measurement, for example, by discovering from a significant change or variation in the photometric data. In other words, the examiner judges whether a significant change or variation in the photometric data is caused by deterioration of the light source lamp, contamination of the constant temperature liquid, or the cause of the reaction tube or specimen. It was difficult, and a lot of effort was spent on such troubleshooting, including service engineers.

In particular, the following two points are mainly cited as the cause of contamination of the constant temperature liquid.
(1) Displacement of the dispensing nozzle When the sample is dispensed into the reaction tube by the dispensing nozzle, if the dispensing nozzle is improperly operated, the sample does not enter the reaction tube and enters the constant temperature liquid. Contamination in the constant temperature liquid occurs.
(2) Overflow of cleaning liquid when cleaning the reaction tube When cleaning the reaction tube, the sample and reagent are aspirated, the cleaning water is injected into the reaction tube, and the cleaning water is discharged, but the sample and reagent are aspirated. If proper suction is not performed due to a failure of the mechanism that performs the cleaning, the cleaning liquid overflows the constant temperature liquid, resulting in contamination in the constant temperature liquid.

  In order to solve such a problem, a method for monitoring the abnormality of the light source lamp by the fluctuation of the photometric data when measuring the water blank value in which distilled water or the like is put in the washed reaction tube three or four times is proposed. (For example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-10-90275 (paragraphs [0015]-[0017], FIG. 1)

  However, in the method as described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to design the water blank so that it can be measured a plurality of times, and a corresponding number of reaction tubes are required. In addition, if it is about 4 times, only a fluctuation (SD (standard deviation) or absorbance difference) in less than 1 minute can be monitored. However, when the light source lamp is abnormal, not only such a short time fluctuation is observed. Since a drift phenomenon ranging from several minutes to several tens of minutes may be exhibited, the abnormality of the light source lamp could not be properly detected. Further, since no disclosure is made regarding the detection of contamination of the constant temperature liquid, the cause of significant changes and variations in the photometric data could not be detected properly.

  Furthermore, as another method, there may be a plan to install a sensor for monitoring the fluctuation of the luminance of the light source lamp in the vicinity of the light source lamp. However, since a member for such detection is required, an extra cost is required. It was supposed to require.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to accurately detect abnormalities in the photometric system without providing a new detection device or the like for detecting deterioration or the like of the light source lamp. It is to provide an automatic analyzer.

  In order to achieve the above object, an automatic analyzer according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of reaction containers for storing a mixed solution of a test sample and a reagent, and a gap between the reaction container and the reaction container. Irradiating light at a plurality of different timings, detecting the irradiated light, acquisition means for acquiring photometric data corresponding to the different timings, and photometric data corresponding to the different timings, Photometric data at two or more wavelengths reflecting the behavior of the light source are respectively extracted, and the photometric data at the two or more wavelengths extracted for each of the photometric data respectively corresponding to the different timings is a first predetermined value. And detecting means for detecting that the light source is abnormal when it does not fit within the width of.

  By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to accurately detect abnormalities in the photometric system that cause significant changes and variations in the photometric data by eliminating the influence of the specimen, so that photometry can be performed without providing a new detection device or the like. It is possible to appropriately identify the cause of significant changes and variations in data.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the automatic analyzer according to the invention described in claim 2 is the automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the difference between photometric data at two or more wavelengths reflecting the behavior of the light source is calculated. An arithmetic means for calculating is further provided, wherein the detecting means detects that the light source is abnormal when the difference does not fall within a second predetermined width.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the automatic analyzer according to the invention described in claim 3 is the automatic analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wavelength includes at least one of 340 nm and 380 nm. Features.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately detect the deterioration of the light source lamp without providing a new detection device or the like for detecting the deterioration of the light source lamp that causes a significant change or variation in the photometric data. It is possible to appropriately identify the causes of significant changes and variations in

  Further, when using a reaction tube holder having a gap between the reaction tubes, the state of the light source lamp can be monitored directly and immediately after the start of measurement.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the automatic analyzer in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the reaction tube holder in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the photometry system in embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the comparison of the light absorbency in the Example of this invention when the light source lamp is normal, and when it is abnormal (when the lifetime is reached). It is a graph which shows the cell blank (previous, this time, the difference) when the light source lamp is normal in the Example of this invention. It is a graph which shows the cell blank (previous, this time, the difference) when the light source lamp is abnormal in the Example of this invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automatic analyzer according to the present embodiment includes reagent containers 2 and 3 in which a reagent rack 1 containing a plurality of reagent bottles containing reagents that react with various components of a specimen can be installed, and a plurality of reaction tubes 4a in an annular shape. The reaction disk 5 includes a plurality of reaction tube holders 4 and a disk sampler 6 in which a sample container in which a sample is stored is set. The reagent containers 2 and 3, the reaction disk 5 and the disk sampler 6 are each rotated by a driving device. A plurality of reagents necessary for the measurement are installed on the reaction disk 5 from the reagent bottles 7 stored in the reagent rack 1 of the reagent store 2 or the reagent store 3 by using the dispensing arm 8 or the dispensing arm 9, respectively. To the reaction tube 4 a in the reaction tube holder 4.

  The sample stored in the sample container 17 arranged on the disk sampler 6 is dispensed into the reaction tube 4 a on the reaction disk 5 using the sampling arm 10. The reaction tube 4 a into which the sample and the reagent are dispensed moves to the stirring position by the rotation of the reaction disk 5, and the mixture of the sample and the reagent is stirred by the stirring unit 11. Thereafter, the photometric system 13 performs component analysis of the specimen by irradiating the reaction tube 4a moved to the photometric position with light and measuring the change in absorbance of the mixed solution. Then, the mixed liquid in the reaction tube 4 a that has been analyzed is discarded, and then the reaction tube 4 a is washed by the washing unit 12.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the reaction tube holder 4 has a gap (FIG. 2 (a)) between adjacent reaction tubes 4a installed in the reaction tube holder 4 and the reaction tube. Some of them do not have a gap between adjacent reaction tubes 4a installed in the holder 4 (FIG. 2B).

  Next, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the photometric system 13 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the photometric system 13 includes a light source lamp 21 such as a halogen tungsten lamp, a heat ray absorption filter 22 that removes a heat component from the light from the light source lamp 21, and a heat ray absorption filter 22 that generates a heat component. A condensing lens 23 that condenses the removed light, a light transmission window 24 that transmits the light collected by the condensing lens 23 and irradiates the reaction tube 4a, and transmits light through the reaction tube 4a. And a light transmission window 25. Here, in order to keep the temperature environment of the reaction tube 4a constant, the reaction tube 4a is immersed in a constant temperature liquid, and the light transmission window 24 and the light transmission window 25 are provided in a constant temperature bath containing the constant temperature liquid. . Therefore, the light transmits not only the reaction tube 4a but also the constant temperature liquid.

  The photometric system 13 includes a shutter 26 that is controlled to be opened at the time of measurement, a condensing lens 27 that condenses light from the shutter 26, a mirror 28 that totally reflects light from the condensing lens 27, and a mirror 28. A slit 29 for narrowing the light reflected by a predetermined width, a concave diffraction grating 30 for diffracting the deflection direction of the light through the slit 29 in a predetermined direction, and light reception for receiving the light polarized by the concave diffraction grating 30 Means 31.

  The light receiving means 31 forms a light receiving signal that is an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of received light, and supplies the light receiving signal to the computing means 40. At this time, the calculation means 40 measures photometric data such as the absorbance of the specimen over time based on the received light signal.

  Here, since the control means 50 for controlling the drive of the reaction disk 5 supplies information related to the drive (for example, information related to the rotation cycle of the reaction disk 5) to the calculation means 40, the calculation means 40 measures the measured value. Among photometric data such as the absorbance of the sample, photometric data that does not interpose the sample (for example, photometric data that has passed through the gap between the reaction tubes 4a or photometric data that has passed through the reaction tube 4a that does not contain the sample) is selectively obtained. be able to.

  Next, the operation in the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the description of the operation in the present embodiment, the case where there is a gap between the reaction tubes 4a installed in the reaction tube holder 4 and the case where there is no gap between the reaction tubes 4a will be described separately.

(When there is a gap between reaction tubes)
When the reaction tube holder 4 has a gap between the reaction tubes 4a as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, photometry is performed while the reaction tube holder 4 is stopped. Normally, the reaction tube holder 4 is rotated and stopped every system cycle. Therefore, when the system cycle is 4.5 seconds, measurement data can be collected every 4.5 seconds. If the photometric interval of the reaction tube 4a is 18 seconds, for example, the monitoring interval of the light source lamp 13a is sufficiently short if it can be monitored every 4.5 seconds.

  Further, it is possible to narrow the monitor interval by measuring the light at the gap between the reaction tubes 4a while the reaction tube holder 4 is not stopped but rotating.

  As the statistical processing performed by the calculation means 40, for example, while a change in absorbance for 3 minutes is calculated by a CPU provided in the calculation means 40 with a value of maximum-minimum (= range), it is a predetermined value (for example, 0 .005 Abs) is output as an error to the notification means 60 and the display means 70. As for the predetermined value, for example, two fluctuation levels of mild and severe are set, and a warning or warning is issued when the absorbance changes to one of these values, and the sampling operation by the control means 50 is performed. It is desirable to stop measurement or measurement.

(Example)
As an example of the present invention, FIG. 4 shows a comparison of absorbance between when the light source lamp of the automatic analyzer having a gap between the reaction tubes is normal and when it is abnormal (when it reaches the end of its life). In this example, the absorbance at two wavelengths of 340 nm and 380 nm was compared.

  As shown in FIG. 4, it is confirmed that the absorbance behavior at the time of abnormality is not stable at both wavelengths compared to the time of normal. This also appears remarkably when the difference between the wavelengths is taken. That is, the behavior of the difference in absorbance of a normal light source lamp at two wavelengths can be seen to have little displacement over time, but the behavior of the difference in absorbance of a light source lamp in which an abnormality at two wavelengths has been confirmed is There are many portions that oscillate in a sawtooth shape, and are intermittent. Therefore, in order to monitor the behavior of the light source lamp to be inspected by the calculation means 40 and accurately detect an abnormality, it is obtained by measuring the gap provided between the reaction tubes as in this embodiment. If the difference between photometric data (absorbances) at any two or more wavelengths that easily reflects the behavior of the light source lamp is taken, and the value stabilizes within a specified range It can be seen that it is preferable to make a determination based on the result.

(When there is no gap between reaction tubes)
When the reaction tube holder 4 has a configuration with no gap between the mounted reaction tubes 4a as shown in FIG. 2B, photometry is performed while the reaction tube holder 4 is stopped as described above. Therefore, the photometric data relating to the cell blank before measurement is stored in the calculation means 40, and a specific reaction tube 4a (for example, a reaction tube having the same cell number or the like used in the apparatus) is stored. Therefore, the photometric data relating to the previous cell blank is subtracted from the photometric data relating to the cell blank at the time of measurement.

  Here, the wavelengths used as the parameters of the photometric data relating to the cell blank at the time of the current measurement and the photometric data relating to the previous cell blank are wavelengths reflecting the variation of the light source lamp, for example, two wavelengths of 340 nm and 380 nm. Is desirable. As a result, fluctuations in cell factors can be eliminated, and fluctuations in the light source lamp from the previous measurement value (for example, 10 minutes before) can be extracted, so that an abnormality in the light source lamp can be properly detected in consideration of drift. Can do.

  Further, by performing this process in all the reaction tubes 4a and statistically processing the data fluctuation in a predetermined section by the calculation means 40, it is possible to detect the abnormality of the light source lamp in the same manner as when the gap between the reaction tubes 4a is used. Become.

  Furthermore, the cell blank value is a measured value of a reaction tube containing pure water, but may be a measured value of an empty reaction tube.

(Example)
As an example of the present invention, FIG. 5 shows cell blank values (absorbance; vertical axis) for each reaction tube (horizontal axis) when there is no gap between the reaction tubes. FIG. 5 shows the “previous cell blank value”, the “current cell blank value” and the difference between them when the light source lamp is normal, and FIG. 6 shows the “previous cell blank value” when the light source lamp is abnormal. Value "," current cell blank value "and their differences.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the fluctuation range of the “previous cell blank value” and the “current cell blank value” in each reaction tube is within about 0.005 Abs, but the “previous cell blank value” and “current cell The difference from the “blank value” is within 0.001 Abs. This indicates that factors such as contamination of the reaction tube are removed, and fluctuations in the light source lamp are mainly extracted.

  On the other hand, although the fluctuation range of “previous cell blank value” and “current cell blank value” in each reaction tube shown in FIG. 6 is small, the difference between “previous cell blank value” and “current cell blank value” is 0. A fluctuation of about 030 Abs is seen, which is significantly larger than the difference value shown in FIG. In this way, when a difference value as large as 30 times the cell blank value of a normal light source lamp is generated, the threshold value is appropriately set so as to notify the examiner of the abnormality of the light source lamp. Is desirable.

  Further, as another embodiment of the present invention, as in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to detect a specific variation of a light source lamp based on photometric data at different times without using two or more wavelengths. May be. Here, the specific variation refers to a behavior in which the photometric data amplitudes around a certain value. Therefore, the abnormality of the light source lamp can be properly detected with a simple configuration.

  Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, when the obtained photometric data is not less than a predetermined value to be detected as abnormal, a light source lamp is shown in the case of showing a behavior that swings around a certain value. If, for example, the photometric data has a uniform decreasing tendency, it can be clearly detected as contamination of the constant temperature liquid.

  The detection of the contamination of the constant temperature liquid is performed by the calculation means 40 shown in FIG. 3 as in the above-described embodiment, and when the contamination of the constant temperature liquid is recognized, the notification means 60 and the display means 70 are output as an error. At the same time, it is desirable to stop the sampling operation by the control means 50 or stop the measurement.

  In this way, when the light source lamp deteriorates, it takes a peculiar behavior such as an amplitude centering on a certain value, so when the measurement data shows a significant change or variation, it is due to the deterioration of the light source lamp. It is possible to properly detect whether it is due to contamination of the constant temperature liquid.

1 Reagent rack 2 Reagent store 3 Reagent store 4 Reaction tube holder 5 Reaction disc 6 Disc sampler 7 Reagent bottle 8 Dispensing arm 9 Dispensing arm 10 Dispensing arm for disc sampler 11 Stirring unit 12 Washing unit 13 Photometric unit 14 Dispensing arm Probe 15 Dispensing arm probe 16 Sampling probe 17 Sample container 30 Diffraction grating 40 Calculation means 50 Control means 60 Notification means 70 Display means

Claims (3)

A plurality of reaction containers for storing a mixture of a test sample and a reagent;
An acquisition means for irradiating light at a plurality of different timings between the reaction container and the reaction container, detecting the irradiated light, and acquiring photometric data corresponding to the different timings,
The photometric data at two or more wavelengths that reflect the behavior of the light source are extracted from the photometric data corresponding to the different timings, respectively, and the photometric data extracted for the photometric data corresponding to the different timings, respectively. Detecting means for detecting that the light source is abnormal when photometric data at two or more wavelengths does not fall within the first predetermined width;
An automatic analyzer characterized by comprising. A calculation means for calculating a difference between photometric data at two or more wavelengths reflecting the behavior of the light source;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects that the light source is abnormal when the difference does not fall within a second predetermined width.   The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength includes at least one of 340 nm and 380 nm.

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