Clinical Laboratory Apparatus Cuvette Grouping for Cross-Contamination Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clinical laboratory settings, residual components from one analysis item can interfere with measurements of another item in shared reaction cuvettes, leading to inaccurate results and reduced throughput due to the need for dedicated detergents and repeated cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A clinical laboratory apparatus with a controller that categorizes reaction cuvettes into groups and controls reagent dispensation to prevent cross-contamination by assigning specific cuvettes for each analysis item, eliminating the need for dedicated detergents and improving measurement efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the same reaction cuvette is used for multiple analysis items, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to cross-contamination from remaining components
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction cuvettes are segmented into multiple physical groups (first group, second group, etc.) based on their usage history and assigned analysis items. The controller manages these segmented groups to prevent cross-contamination by ensuring that reagents for different analysis items are dispensed into separate cuvette groups, thereby maintaining measurement precision while simplifying overall system management.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary between the reagent dispensing system and the reaction cuvettes. It receives information about affecting analysis items and affected analysis items, then mediates the reagent dispensation process by controlling the second dispenser to avoid dispensing reagents for affecting items into cuvettes that will be used for affected items, thus preventing cross-contamination.
2Measurement precision
If a reaction cuvette is skipped to avoid cross-contamination, then measurement precision is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary action by categorizing reaction cuvettes into groups and pre-determining which cuvettes should be used for which analysis items based on stored information about affecting and affected items. This preliminary organization allows the system to automatically assign appropriate cuvettes without needing to skip any, thereby maintaining both measurement precision and high productivity through efficient resource utilization.
3Measurement precision
If dedicated detergent is used to clean remaining components, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to additional cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problem of cross-contamination from the cleaning process by addressing it at the reagent dispensation stage. The controller prevents reagents for affecting items from being dispensed into cuvettes that will be used for affected items, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated detergent cleaning steps and reducing time loss while maintaining measurement precision.
4Measurement precision
If information about affecting and affected analysis items is stored and used to control reagent dispensation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as the central control unit for the analysis system and as the specific controller for managing reagent dispensation and preventing cross-contamination. By integrating the cross-contamination prevention function into the existing controller rather than adding a separate dedicated control system, the patent improves measurement precision while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A clinical laboratory apparatus includes a plurality of reaction cuvettes, a first dispenser, a second dispenser, a controller, and an analyzer. A subject sample and a reagent are mixed in each of the plurality of reaction cuvettes. The first dispenser is configured to dispense the subject sample into each of the plurality of reaction cuvettes. The second dispenser is configured to dispense the reagent into each of the plurality of reaction cuvettes so that the subject sample and the reagent are mixed. The controller is configured to categorize the plurality of reaction cuvettes into at least first and second groups, to designate at least first and second analysis items among two or more analysis items with respect to the subject sample, to control the second dispenser to avoid dispensing the reagent relevant to the first analysis item into the second group of the reaction cuvettes. The analyzer is configured to analyze a mixed result.