Chapter 7 – Bishop 8th Ed.

PRINCIPLES OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AUTOMATION

AUTOMATION ◌ Mixing of sample and reagent occurs when the rotor holding the
- cuvette is spun at HIGH SPEED (4000 rpm)
Four (4) Common Types of Automated Analyzers: ◌ after mixing: the ROTOR SPUN at 1000 rpm – reagent mixture is
1. Continuous Flow Analyzer pushed horizontally to the bottom of the cuvette
2. Centrifugal Analyzer
3. Discrete Analyzer □ Advantages:
4. Dry Chemical Analyzer ▪ BATCH ANALYSIS
- major advantage of centrifugal analyzers
① CONTINUOUS FLOW ANALYZER - reagents in all cuvettes are read simultaneously

□ Two (2) Types: ▪ requires small sample and uses small reagent volumes
1. Multichannel
- used for certain test profiles for a single sample ▪ can be programmed to carry out many different assay methods
2. Single channel
- used for frequently requested independent analysis □ Disadvantages:
- ie. Blood glucose ▪ only one test type can be performed each time
▪ quality of cuvette and uniformity of detection window is crucial
□ Disadvantages
▪ does not allow test selection ③ DISCRETE ANALYZER
□ non-continuous flow using RANDOM ACCESS fluid which is a
② CENTRIFUGAL ANALYZER HYDROFLUOROCARBON

□ samples and reagents are added in a specially designed centrifugal type □ liquid to reduce surface tension between samples/reagents and their tubing
cuvette that has three (3) compartments and therefore REDUCE CARRY-OVER

□ Three (3) Compartments of Centrifugal Type Cuvette: □ discrete analyzers have the capability to run multiple tests one sample at a
1. Sample time OR multiple samples one test at a time
2. Automated sample pipettor
3. Automated reagent pipettor □ most versatile automated analyzer

□ uses the FORCE OF CENTRIFUGATION to transfer samples at reagents □ SEQUENTIAL TESTING

- multiple test analyzed one after another
□ both samples and reagents are allowed to equilibrate to the reagent - ie. ◦ Liver profile
temperature ◦ FBS

□ 4000 rpm – high speed of centrifugal analyzer □ each sample is treated differently according to the tests requested and
programmed by the operator
□ Spinning – sample added to the reagent - ie. ◦ Sample 1: glucose, urea, creatinine
□ Turbulence – mixing of sample and reagent ◦ Sample 2: total protein, albumin
◦ sample 3: trigs, tot.chol
Note: ◦ sample 4: bilirubin, ALT, AST
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Chapter 7 – Bishop 8th Ed.
PRINCIPLES OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AUTOMATION
5. plastic/support layer
□ heavily dependent on electronic control
□ Principle:
□ SAMPLE - aspirated by the automatic sample from the sample cup and
placed in the reagent cuvette ▪ SPREADING LAYER
□ Three (3) Methods of mixing the sample and reagents - for adding sample/control/standard

1. spinning of the cuvette at high speed followed by a sudden stop ▪ SCAVENGER LAYER
2. introducing a reagent - allows selected components to filter through and penetrate to the
3. reagent layer in which then activates the dehydrated reagents
- ie. ◦ hemolysis
□ SPECTROPHOTOMETER - reads the absorbance
▪ REAGENT LAYER
□ QC SYSTEM - checks on the results of the QC samples whether to accept - contains lyophilize or any enzymes and buffers necessary for the analysis
or reject results of the run of a specific analyte in the sample

□ KINETIC METHODOLOGIES - used instead of ENDPOINT; minimize ▪ INDICATOR LAYER

protein error and give more accurate results - where chemical reaction is initiated to produce color

□ ADVANTAGES: ▪ SUPPORT/PLASTIC LAYER

▪ robust and produce reliable results with run problems - where the light passed from and is directed through the reagent layer
▪ can analyze up to 75 samples or more in one go for single/multiple
testing □ uses REFLECTANCE PHOTOMETRY
▪ require little volume of sample and reagents
▪ directly sent to clinics via □ the amount of light reflected which is indirectly proportional to color
intensity
□ DISADVANTAGES:
▪ expensive
▪ produce a lot of hassle
▪ expensive to maintain
▪ uniformity/quality must be maintained in each cuvette because each
sample is in each cuvette

④ DRY CHEMICAL ANALYZER

□ utilized reagent slides that are composed of several layers

□ Five (5) layers of Dry chemical analyzers”

1. Spreading layer
2. scavenger layer
3. reagent layer
4. indicator layer
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