Lec 18: Automation Flashcards
Features:
- compact benchtop analyzer
- complete walkaway system with onboard laundry & cooling
- LIS and Barcode option
- user-friendly software
- low water consumption
- throughput: 160 tests per hour
AGD2160 (Fully automatic Clinical Chemistry analyzer)
Define Automation
The use of laboratory equipment to perform clinical laboratory assays with minimal involvement of the technologist.
The replacement of human manipulative efforts and facilities in the performance of a given process by mechanical devices that are regulated by a feedback of information so that the apparatus is self-monitoring or self-adjusting.
Automation (IUPAC)
Give the common principles involving analyzers
- POCT
- Luminescence
- Electroanalyctic
- Chromatography
- Spectrometry
- this principle uses instruments that measure EMR
- uses Planck’s constant
Spectrometry
The photons of energy traveling in waves
EMR
This describes the relationship between wavelength and energy.
Planck’s formula
• E = hv
• Planck’s constant (h)
—> 6.62 × 10-27
Photometry
- Principle
- Purpose of photometer as filter
- Visible light range
- What does this method measure?
- Utilizes what principle?
- A beam of monochrome light enters a solution, light is absorbed and the remainder passes through to the detector, then is converted to an electrical signal (%T).
- To isolate a narrow range of incident wavelengths.
- 400 to 700 nm
- Measures the absorbed or emitted light to determine the molecule’s concentration.
- Beer’s Law
Spectrophotometry
- Principle
- Filter used and function
- What is measured here?
- Utilizes what principle?
- Each compound absorbs/transmits light at a certain wavelength range.
- Prism/grating
• to select a narrow range of incident wavelengths - Light transmitted by the solution
• to determine the light-absorbing substance’s concentration - Beer’s Law
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
- Principle
- Light source
- Purpose of Flame
- Measures concentration by detecting the absorption of EMR by atoms
- Hollow cathode lamp
-
a. Reduces metals to atomic vaporized state
b. serves as sample cell
- most accurate method to determine the molecular mass and elemental composition of the compound.
(1) molecules are bombarded with a beam of electrons
(2) Molecules are ionized, then broken up into fragments (ions)
(3) Each ion has a particle ratio of mass to charge
Mass spectrometry
Techniques of Mass Spectrometry (define)
Gas chromatography
• definitive method to quantify standard reference materials
• ID of trace contaminants, toxins, & drugs
HPLC
• Screening & confirmation of inborn metabolism errors
• Amino acid analysis
Tandem
• Used in pharmacokinetics, newborn screening, & proteomics
Measurement of emitted fluorescence light
Fluorometry
- it starts immediately after absorption of light, and stops when incident light is cut off
- occurs when a beam of light is incident on certain substances, the substance emits visible light.
Fluorescence
- light is emitted when electron returns to ground state from an excited state.
- excitation is caused by chemical reaction
Chemiluminescence
- at 90°, it measures the intensity of light scattered by a suspension
- minimizes error from colored solution
- increases sensitivity
Nephelometry
Continuous Flow Analyzer
- Principle of detection
- Mechanism
- Measuring the absorbency by spectrophotometer through a continuous flow cuvette.
-
a. Liquid is pumped into tube system
b. All samples automatically pass from one step to another without waiting for the first sample to be completed.
Features:
- introduction of air bubbles
- separating media
- separates samples into segments at intervals, preventing cross-contamination
- removal of proteins by Dialysis
- modular design
- permitting interchanging of major parts
- incubator
- to promote color development or enzymatic reactions
Continuous Flow Analyzer
Continuous Flow Analyzer: BASIC PARTS
- For continuously measuring and recording optical density or absorbency changes.
- This is used for continuous and proportional delivery of samples and reagents, and it replaces the pipetting steps in the manual procedure.
- It is made of mixing glass coils that act as reactors
- Contains a photocell to detect the amount of light passing through the solution
- It holds the cups containing the standards and specimens
- Used for heating and incubating the reaction mixture at fixed temperature
- It employs a semipermeable membrane to separate the analytes and to remove proteins.
- Recorder
- Pump
- Manifold
- Colorimeter
- Sampler
- Heating bath
- Dialyzer
Continuous Flow Analyzer
Drawbacks/Disadvantages?
- does NOT allow test selection
- must run continuously
- instrument must be closely monitored all the time
- significant carryover problems
- Large
The time between a decision to perform a test, and when the doctor receives the result and act on it
Turn around time
Time between receiving a sample, and sending out the result
Lab TAT
Contamination of mixture of an assay by another assay
Carryover
The maximum number of samples that can be processed in 1 hour
Throughput
The minimum amount of time required to get the result after sampling
Dwell time
Features:
- liquids are placed in separate cuvettes that are held by the rotor
- the spinning rotor is used for mixing, and transferring the liquids from one chamber to another.
- performs batch analysis
Centrifugal Fast Analyzer
Centrifugal Fast Analyzer
- Principle of detection
- Mechanism
- It has clear transparent sides for spectrophotometric measurements
- Uses the spinning rotor’s motion for mixing thermal equilibration, transport and measurement.
Centrifugal Fast Analyzer
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Advantages
• requires small sample & reagent volume
• can carry out many different assay methods
• rapid
• batch analysis
Disadvantages
• only one test performed each time
• expensive
• hemolysis
All samples are loaded at the same time, and a single test is conducted on each sample
Batch analysis
More than one analysis is performed on ONE sample
Simultaneous analysis
Samples undergo a series of analytical processes, usually one analysis at a time
Parallel analysis
- Samples are processed sequentially rather than in batch
- Samples enter the system one after another, are processed, and results are issued in the same order
- Order cannot be changed
Sequential analysis
Samples can be processed by any individual or combined methods (available) at the discretion of the operator
Selective analysis
Discrete Sampling Analyzer
- Principle
- Mechanism
- Non-continuous flow using hydrofluorocarbon liquid to reduce surface tension between samples, reagents, and tubing.
- Each sample reaction is handled in a separate compartment and does not come in contact with another sample. All reactions must be carried out until equilibrium is reached.
Features:
- employs a variety of syringe
- to aspirate and dispense liquids
- positive liquid displacement
- running multiple tests at a time
- employs visible and UV light spectrophotometry
- mixing of sample & reagent:
- spinning cuvette at high speed then sudden stop
- jet action for reagent introduction
- air bubbles for sample introduction
Discrete Sampling Analyzer
Discrete Sampling Analyzer
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Advantages
• produce reliable results with minimum problems
• High throughput
— 75 samples or more in one go
• Requires small reagent and sample volume
• results directly sent to clinics
• printers are attached
Disadvantages
• expensive to buy & maintain
• produces lots of water
Any test can be performed on any sample in any sequence
Random access
- Emergency sample
- Results will be available within the shortest possible time
STAT sample
Operates by moving the piston in the pipetted tip or barrel
Positive displacement pipette
Dry Chemical Analyzer
Enumerate the layers of a reagent slide
- spreading layer
- scavenger layer
- reagent layer
- plastic/support layer
Dry Chemical Analyzer
PRINCIPLE
- Light is passed from beneath the support layer and is directed through the reagent layer
- when light hits the spreading layer, some of the light reflects back to the reagent layer which proceeds to a photocell.
Dry Chemical Analyzer
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Advantages
• minimal storage requirements
• NO pipetting steps
• NO sample dilution
• uses 10 or 11 microliter of sample per test
Disadvantage
• expensive
Reagent slide layers
- Allows selected components to filter through and penetrate to the reaction layer which activates the dehydrated reagents
- For adding sample control or standard
- Contains lyophilized or dry enzymes and buffer necessary for the analysis of a specific analyte in the sample
- Scavenger layer
- Spreading layer
- Reagent layer
Steps in automated analysis
Identification & Preparation
1. Sample ID (barcode, manual entry)
2. Determine test to perform
Chemical Reaction
3. Reagent delivery
4. Sample measurement & delivery
5. Chemical Reaction phase
Data Collection & Analysis
6. Measurement phase (optical reading before/after all reagents are added)
7. Signal processing & data handling
8. Send result to LIS
- High speed, rack-based sorter
- for pre and post-analytic tube sorting & handling
- 1,200 sorts per hour
- accepts a wide variety of personality racks
Auto Sorter 1200
- each tube is identified and discretely handled until placed in designated sort bin
- configuration available for handling frozen specimens
- 2000 tubes per hour
- for highly duty-cycle use
Auto Sorter 2000BB
- manage over 6000 tubes per hour
- expandable or reconfigurable to changing requirements
Track systems
- Image and identify containers and labels
- relabel containers
- decap
- centrifuge
- aliquot to daughter tubes or plates
- recap
- sort to personality tracts
- processing and unloading supports multiple workflow paths
Pre Analytics
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Yasakawa
Chemical Reaction:
Clinical Reaction Phase
- Mixing
- Incubation
- Reaction vessels
- Glass coils, breaker mixer, rotors
- Electronic circuits, water bath
- Plastic cuvettes, sealed plastic bags, multi-layer think film slide
Data Collection & Analysis
Measurement Phase
- Photometry
- electrochemistry
6 Pneumatic Tube System
- Centrifuge module
- Decapping module
- conveyors
- Aliquot and labeler
- recapping module
- refrigeration and storage