METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMATED ANALYSIS MACHINE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transferring a first sample liquid from a first primary vessel into a first target vessel and a second sample liquid from a second primary vessel into a second target vessel with the aid of at least one automated pipetting apparatus comprising a system liquid in an automated analysis machine comprising a control machine.

Claims

1. A method for transferring a first sample liquid from a first primary vessel into a first target vessel and a second sample liquid from a second primary vessel into a second target vessel using at least one automated pipetting apparatus comprising a system liquid in an automated analysis machine comprising a control machine, the method comprising: receiving a first liquid volume V1 of the first sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus from the first primary vessel, dispensing the first liquid volume V1 of the first sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus into an aliquot vessel, receiving a second liquid volume V2 of the first sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus from the aliquot vessel, dispensing the second liquid volume V2 of the first sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus into the first target vessel, receiving a third liquid volume V3 of the second sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus from the second primary vessel, and dispensing the third liquid volume V3 of the second sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus into the second target vessel, wherein the third liquid volume V3 of the second sample liquid is automatically ascertained using the control machine in accordance with the following relationship:
V3=k1V2+k2, where V2 denotes the second liquid volume of the first sample liquid, k1 denotes a predetermined liquid-volume-dependent correction factor, k2 denotes a predetermined liquid-volume-independent correction factor, and the correction factor k1 is unequal to one.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k1 and the correction factor k2 are predetermined such that the third liquid volume V3 of the second sample liquid is less than the second liquid volume V2 of the first sample liquid.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k1 is less than one and greater than zero.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k2 is unequal to zero.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k2 is less than zero.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k2 corresponds to a volume of the first sample liquid adhering to an outside of a pipetting needle of the pipetting apparatus.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correction factor k1 or the correction factor k2 was determined experimentally for the pipetting apparatus.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the correction factor k1 or the correction factor k2 was determined by a comparative measurement series with a different number of instances of receiving and dispensing the first sample liquid and the second sample liquid using the pipetting apparatus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system liquid is water.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sample liquid or the second sample liquid contains a sample of a patient, a calibrator, a control material, or a control solution.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sample liquid or the second sample liquid contains a bodily fluid.

12. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bodily fluid is blood or urine.

13. An automated analysis machine comprising at least one automated pipetting apparatus comprising a system liquid for transferring liquid volumes and at least one control machine, wherein the control machine is configured to control the execution of the method as claimed in claim 1.

14. The automated analysis machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the automated pipetting apparatus is fastened to a robotically displaceable or robotically swivelable transfer arm.

15. The automated analysis machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the automated analysis machine comprises a multiplicity of receiving positions for respectively one primary vessel, aliquot vessel or target vessel, or a multiplicity of automated pipetting apparatuses with robotically displaceable or robotically swivelable transfer arms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] The invention is explained in more detail in an exemplary manner on the basis of the drawings. In the drawings:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the pipetting processes (11, 12) with aliquoting between a first primary vessel (1), an aliquot vessel (2), and a first target vessel (3), and

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the pipetting process (13) without aliquoting between a second primary vessel (4) and a second target vessel (5).

[0054] The same parts have been provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The vessels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in accordance with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are situated in an automated analysis machine not depicted in any more detail, the latter being configured to process a sample and comprising a control unit with a computer system for controlling the processing of the sample, and a multiplicity of machine assemblies for processing the sample, such as, e.g., pipetting apparatuses and transport devices.

[0056] FIG. 1 schematically shows an illustration of pipetting processes (11, 12) with aliquoting between a first primary vessel (1), an aliquot vessel (2) and a first target vessel (3). For the pipetting process (11) between the first primary vessel (1) and the aliquot vessel (2), the pipetting apparatus takes a first liquid volume V1 of the first sample liquid from the first primary vessel (1) and dispenses the first liquid volume V1 again into the aliquot vessel (2). The first liquid volume V1 is 300.0 microliters (μl).

[0057] In the pipetting apparatus there is an inadvertent mixture and dilution of the first sample liquid with system liquid by approximately 3 percent (%). The system liquid is water. At the outset, the first sample liquid contains 300.0 units of an analyte in 300.0 μl of sample liquid in the first primary vessel (1). After the pipetting process (11), 300.0 μl of sample liquid in the aliquot vessel (2) only still contain 291.0 units of the analyte and 9.0 μl of the system liquid on account of the dilution.

[0058] For the pipetting process (12) between the aliquot vessel (2) and the first target vessel (3), the pipetting apparatus takes a second liquid volume V2 of the first sample liquid from the aliquot vessel (2) and dispenses the second liquid volume V2 again into the first target vessel (3). The second liquid volume V2 is 50.0 μl.

[0059] Analogous to the pipetting process (11) between the first primary vessel (1) and the aliquot vessel (2), there once again is inadvertent mixing and dilution of the first sample liquid with the system liquid by approximately 3% in the pipetting apparatus. The first sample liquid originally contains 291.0 units of the analyte in 300.0 μl of sample liquid in the aliquot vessel (2) and 9.0 μl of system liquid. After the pipetting process (12), 50.0 μl of sample liquid in the first target vessel (3) only still contain 47.0 units of the analyte and 3.0 μl of system liquid on account of the renewed dilution.

[0060] FIG. 2 schematically shows an illustration of a pipetting process (13) without aliquoting between a second primary vessel (4) and a second target vessel (5). For the pipetting process (13), the pipetting apparatus takes a third liquid volume V3 of a second sample liquid from the second primary vessel (4) and dispenses the third sample volume V3 again into the second target vessel (5). The first sample liquid and the second sample liquid are the same, and therefore the analyses of the first sample liquid and the second sample liquid should supply comparable results. The third liquid volume V3 is 48.5 μl. The third liquid volume V3 is ascertained in accordance with the following relationship in the case of the given second liquid volume V2:

V3=k1V2+k2,

[0061] where k1 denotes a predetermined liquid-volume-dependent correction factor and k2 denotes a predetermined liquid-volume-independent correction factor.

[0062] The correction factor k1 emerges from the degree of dilution of the sample liquids during the pipetting process (11) from the first primary vessel (1) into the aliquot vessel (2). This dilution is 3%. Hence, the correction factor k1 emerges as k1=0.97 with the relationship 100%−3%=97%.

[0063] The correction factor k2 is zero.

[0064] Hence, the third volume V3=48.5 μl emerges in the case of a second volume V2 of 50 μl.

[0065] There is inadvertent mixing and dilution of the second sample liquid with the system liquid by 3% in the pipetting apparatus during the pipetting process (13). The system liquid is water. Originally, the second sample liquid contains 48.5 units of an analyte in 48.5 μl of sample liquid in the second primary vessel (4). After the pipetting process (13), 48.5 μl of sample liquid in the second target vessel (5) still contain 47.0 units of the analyte and 1.5 μl of system liquid on account of the dilution.

[0066] Hence, the sample liquids in the first target vessel (3) and second target vessel (5) contain the same amount of the analyte. This facilitates the ability of obtaining comparable results in subsequent analyses of the sample liquid in the first target vessel (3) and second target vessel (5).

[0067] In the case of a non-inventive method with V3=V2=50 μl, 48.5 units of the analyte would be situated in the second target vessel (5). However, there would only be 47.0 units of the analyte in the first target vessel (3) in an unchanged manner. Hence, the subsequent analyses of the sample liquid in the first target vessel (3) and second target vessel (5) would obtain results that deviate from one another and are not comparable to one another, even though the first sample liquid in the first primary vessel (1) and the second sample liquid in the second primary vessel (5) both in each case contained 50.0 units of the analyte in 50.0 μl of sample liquid.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0068] 1 First primary vessel

[0069] 2 Aliquot vessel

[0070] 3 First target vessel

[0071] 4 Second primary vessel

[0072] 11, 12, 13 Second target vessel