🔬 Automation in Urinalysis: Streamlining the Lab
Automation has revolutionized urinalysis in clinical laboratories, addressing increased
workloads and the demand for rapid results.
Benefits of Automation
Reduced human error: Automated analyzers minimize manual intervention,
decreasing transcription errors, pipetting mistakes, and subjective
interpretations.
Improved turnaround time: High-throughput systems rapidly process multiple
samples, ensuring timely reporting critical for patient care.
Standardized and reproducible results: Automation ensures consistent
procedures and interpretation, leading to reliable and comparable results across
different laboratories and time points. Remember: consistent procedures and
interpretation under the same conditions yield the same results.
Enhanced workflow and sample traceability: Integrated systems streamline
pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases, improving sample tracking,
data management, and overall laboratory workflow.
Automation improves lab diagnostics and meets the growing demand for evidence-based,
patient-centered healthcare.
Automated Processes
Automation standardizes the following processes:
1. Sample processing: Automated analyzers ensure uniform handling, mixing, and
distribution of specimens.
2. Test strip analysis: Automated analyzers consistently and objectively read
chemical reagent strips using automated or semi-automated readers.
3. Urine sediment analysis: Automated analyzers conduct microscopic
examination of urine sediments through digital imaging and pattern recognition
software for accurate identification of form elements.
4. Result reporting: Automated analyzers automatically transmit validated results
to the laboratory information system, ensuring standardized data entry and
traceability.
Key Features of Automation
Online computer capability
Barcoding
Manual entry of color, clarity, and microscopic results
Flagging of abnormal results
Storing of patient and control results
Minimal calibration, cleaning, and maintenance
⚙️ Classifications of Automated Analyzers
1. Semi-automated analyzers: Require manual intervention for certain steps,
such as sample loading, reagent addition, or result interpretation. Suitable for
smaller laboratories with moderate workloads and point-of-care testing.
2. Fully automated chemistry analyzers: Perform entire testing processes with
minimal human input, including sample identification, reagent handling, analysis,
and result reporting. Capable of handling high-throughput testing for clinical
chemistry panels and integrated with laboratory information systems for real-
time data management.
3. Automated urine cell analyzers: Specialize in the detection, classification, and
quantification of cellular components in urine. They use digital imaging and flow
cytometry technologies for enhanced accuracy and reproducibility.
4. Automated urine system: Combine multiple urinalysis modules into a single
integrated platform.
Familiarize Yourself
Familiarize yourselves with brands, models, and manufacturers, categorized by the
classification of automated analyzers:
Semi-automated chemistry instruments
Fully automated chemistry instruments
Automated microscopy or automated urine cell analyzers
Urine analysis systems or automated urine systems, including body fluid
analyzers
🧪 Semi-Automated Urine Chemistry Analyzers
Features and Functions
Perform chemical analysis of urine.
Read and interpret reagent strip results.
Help eliminate bias in color interpretation of reagent pads.
Reduce manual reading discrepancies.
Typical Analytes Detected
Leukocyte
Nitrite
Protein
Blood
Glucose
Ketone
Bilirubin
Urobilinogen
pH
Creatinine
Suitability and Operation
Suitable for small- to medium-volume laboratories and physician's offices.
Self-calibrating system with automatic checks:
Identifies strip type.
Detects humidity exposure of the reagent strip.
Designed for manual dipping of strips, then automatic reading via a strip reader.
Requires manual input of patient identification, specimen color, and clarity,
either directly or via a barcode reader.
Minimal daily maintenance, such as cleaning the reagent strip platform and
emptying the reagent strip waste container.
How They Work
1. Medical technologists dip the reagent strip into the well-mixed urine sample.
2. Blot the strip to remove excess urine.
3. Place the strip onto the reagent strip platform.
4. Press the analyzer to start the reading and wait for the result.
🧪 Fully Automated Urine Chemistry Analyzers
Functions and Features
Designed for high-volume urine analysis laboratories.
Walk-away capability: Operators can load samples and allow the system to
run independently.
Can process multiple samples at once.
Option to add stat specimens during an ongoing run.
Simple operation: Press a button to start, and samples are moved and analyzed
automatically.
How They Work
1. The analyzer identifies the urine specimen, using barcode scanning or other
identification methods.
2. The analyzer aspirates the urine sample and automatically dispenses it onto a
reagent strip. The reagent strip contains various chemical pads that react with
different components in the urine.
3. The analyzer uses reflectance photometry to analyze the color changes in the
reagent strip.
4. The used reagent strip is automatically disposed of into a waste box.
Specific Models
Clinitech Atlas
A fully automated reflectance spectrophotometer intended for professional in
vitro diagnostic use in performing urinalysis testing.
Uses the principle of reflectance spectrophotometry:
Measures how much light is reflected off the surface of a material, usually one that
changes color due to a chemical reaction.
Analyzes the color and intensity of light reflected from the reagent area and
converts the result into clinically meaningful units.
The optical system includes a tungsten filament halogen lamp illuminating a
large fiber optic bundle of 14 separate fiber optics.
A type of incandescent lamp that uses a tungsten filament and contains a small amount
of halogen gas inside the bulb.
The tungsten filament halogen lamp is used because:
It provides a stable, bright, and continuous spectrum of light across
visible wavelengths.
The halogen gas helps prolong the life of the filament by
redepositing evaporated tungsten back onto the filament, providing a
longer lifespan.
It produces a consistent light intensity, which is essential for accurate
reflectance spectrophotometry, providing consistent output.
It operates at a higher temperature than standard lamps, improving
light output and efficiency, providing high-temperature operation.
Reflected light at specific wavelengths enters a second set of 14 return fiber
optics. This reflected light is channeled to 10 interference filters at different
wavelengths.
The reflected light then hits a photodetector.
The photodetector output provides an analog signal that is converted into a digital
value that represents meaningful units of measurement for each reagent pad. No
calculations are required by the operator.
The Clinitech Atlas RAC sample handler:
Designed specifically for use with the Clinitech Atlas analyzer,
attaching to the front of the instrument.
Allows an unlimited number of specimens to be analyzed
sequentially.
Depending on the option selected, an unattended run can also
consist of a maximum of either 100 or 200 specimens.
Enhances the automation capability of the Clinitech Atlas Analyzer
by enabling continuous sequential analysis of urine specimens.
Up to 10 rocks can be loaded, and each rock can hold up to 10 tubes.
The minimum volume of urine required for testing is 2 ml.
The instrument uses a rinse solution prepared by adding 2 ml of Clinitech Atlas
rinse to 1000 ml of distilled or deionized water.
The wash bottle is connected to the waste drain with tubing to allow easy
access to everything. It holds a sufficient amount of waste for the use of a full
reagent rod.
iChem Velocity
An automated urine chemistry system performing measurements of urine
physical and chemical constituents utilizing test strips read by wavelength
reflectance and specific gravity using the refractive index.
Also determines color and clarity, so a complete urinalysis is determined
automatically. Visual measurements are no longer necessary.
iChem Velocity urine chemistry strips are propriety and exclusively designed for
the analyzer.
It's also classified as an in vitro device.
Uses the principle wavelength reflectance:
This method is used to read the chemical reactions on your reagent strips. When the
urine comes into contact with the pads on the strip, a color change occurs depending
on the analyte. The analyzer shines light onto the pad and measures how much light is
reflected back. The color change depends on the analyte.
Also uses the principle of refractive index.
It mimics how a human eye detects the shadow light in a manual refractometer.
