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PubMed1995

Automated analytical systems for drug development studies. 3. Multivessel dissolution testing system based on microdialysis sampling.

An automated system consisting of a six-vessel dissolution apparatus, microdialysis sampling, STT E6 multiposition switching valve and a liquid chromatograph was assembled to measure dissolution profiles of immediate and sustained-release tablets. A DL-5 microdialysis loop probe (BAS, Inc.) was immersed in each dissolution vessel and perfused with a suitable medium for sampling. The dialystate from each vessel was injected sequentially onto an on-line liquid chromatography (LC) system for automated analysis. The STT E6 multiposition switching valve was used to sample up to six vessels simultaneously. After addressing issues related to sample carry-over and between-probe variability, the automated system was used in a reproducible manner (RSD < 3%) to measure the dissolution of immediate-release acetaminophen tablets and Accutrim (containing 75 mg phenylpropanolamine HCl) 16 h Precision Release tablets. An uneven injection time sequence was used to monitor three acetaminophen tablets per dissolution run using the automated system and each vessel was sampled about every 6.5 min. However, with Accutrim 16 h Precision Release tablets, a longer sampling interval (10 min) was used, the six tablets could be tested in each dissolution run. The dissolution profiles of acetaminophen and Accutrim tablets measured using the automated multivessel dissolution system compared well with manual and automated single-vessel dissolution systems.

Acetaminophen↗

PubMed1992

Influence of operator- and patient-dependent variables on the suitability of automated quantitative coronary arteriography for routine clinical use.

This study was designed to elucidate the operator- and patient-dependent variables inherent in clinical application of quantitative coronary arteriography. Digital arteriograms from 25 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic catheterization were analyzed by four experienced angiographers utilizing an automated coronary edge detection system to measure percent area stenosis. The identification of potentially significant lesions for quantitation constituted a major source of variability, with unanimous agreement on the presence of a greater than or equal to 50% stenosis occurring at 38 (29%) of the 130 reported sites. Selection of an optimal frame for quantitative analysis resulted in disagreement for every lesion reported. Frame selection by the operator, as opposed to measurement of preselected frames, increased the interobserver variability from 5% to 7% for automated geometric analysis (p less than 0.01), and from 8% to 10.5% for automated densitometric analysis (p less than 0.01). Fully automatic arterial border detection was possible for only 20 (52.5%) of the 38 unanimously identified stenoses. The 18 failures involved one or more of the following factors: 1) stenosis at a bifurcation (13 [72%]); 2) diffuse, severe disease (8 [44%]); 3) excessive vessel tortuosity or overlap or both (4 [22%]); and 4) poor image quality (5 [28%]). In contrast, the same automated border detection algorithm successfully traced all 15 preselected frames of discrete stenoses referred for coronary angioplasty. Automated quantitative coronary arteriography performs well when carefully selected, discrete stenoses are presented to the computer for analysis. However, quantitative analysis of routine clinical coronary arteriograms is limited by operator-dependent variability in stenosis identification and frame selection, as well as by complex coronary anatomy and suboptimal image quality. These limitations make automated quantitative coronary arteriography impractical for routine clinical use.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Quantification of fetomaternal hemorrhage: a comparative study of the manual and automated microscopic Kleihauer-Betke tests and flow cytometry in clinical samples.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quantification of fetomaternal hemorrhage by the manual and automated microscopic analysis of Kleihauer-Betke stained slides and by flow cytometry. STUDY DESIGN: Blood smears were stained and evaluated manually according to the Kleihauer-Betke test. The same slides were used for automated microscopy. In addition, blood flow cytometry was performed by anti-hemaglobin F immunostaining. RESULTS: Fetomaternal hemorrhage >0.1% was detected in 4 patients by manual and automated Kleihauer-Betke test and by blood flow cytometry. Fetomaternal hemorrhage was absent according to all 3 methods in 13 patients; fetomaternal hemorrhage<0.1% was detected in 27 patients by either manual or automated Kleihauer-Betke test or both. Moderate agreement was observed between the manual and automated Kleihauer-Betke test (weighted kappa, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.78). Agreement between the manual Kleihauer-Betke test and blood flow cytometry was fair (weighted kappa, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.15-0.66). CONCLUSION: Automated microscopic detection of fetal blood cells in clinical samples provides accurate quantification that is comparable to the manual Kleihauer-Betke test in both small and large fetomaternal hemorrhage. Blood flow cytometry is capable only of quantifying fetomaternal hemorrhage of >0.1%.

Erythrocyte Volume↗

PubMed2026

Evaluation of the difference between automated and measured QTc intervals in children.

BACKGROUND: The corrected QT interval (QTc) is obtained through automated ECG computations or manual physician measurements. We hypothesized that differences exist in children between the measured and automated QTc intervals within and between Healthy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) subjects with greater differences for HCM due to structural abnormalities. METHODS: QT measurements - Bazett correction- automated (aQTc) and measured (mQTc), were extracted from the GE MUSE database for 385 Healthy pediatric (single ECG) and 208 HCM subjects (2 ECGs), stratified by age < 12 and ≥ 12 yrs., sex, race, and ethnicity. QTc means (SD), automated and measured differences, and the difference of the differences of aQTc and mQTc were analyzed overall and by subgroups. All ECGs were read by one pediatric cardiologist with a second cardiologist reading a random subset of HCM ECGs to evaluate intraclass correlations and agreement. RESULTS: The mQTc intervals were shorter than aQTc intervals within Healthy (p < 0.001) and within first HCM ECGs (p < 0.001) with both aQTc and mQTc shorter in Healthy than HCM (p < 0.001). The difference in these differences was significant overall using HCM ECG 1 but not HCM ECG 2. Healthy subject aQTc and mQTc intervals differed by age, sex, and race (p < 0.002). HCM ECG 1 aQTc- mQTc intervals differed for age < 12 yrs., as well as by sex and race. HCM ECG 2 intervals differed only for age < 12 yrs. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to measured values, automated QTc values were significantly longer in both Healthy and HCM subjects. Automated measurements may overestimate the QTc.

Humans↗

PubMed1998

Robotic automation of coagulation analysis.

Laboratory automation systems (LAS) have been installed in over 22 sites across North America providing automation of many preanalytical and analytical tasks in clinical laboratories. Only a few laboratories have automated the analysis of citrated whole blood for the diagnosis of hemostasis disorders. The analysis of coagulation factors in citrated blood requires a large amount of labor in order to provide rapid turnaround; thus automation of this analytical process is attractive. Therefore, we have created an automated coagulation workstation using a systematic approach to automation design and engineering. First, we used discrete event simulation to calculate potential throughput and to identify possible bottlenecks for the proposed coagulation workcell. We then created a three-dimensional animated computer model of the workstation to simplify workstation design. Finally, we constructed a prototype workcell using a mobile robot, an articulated robotic arm, and a coagulation analytical system.

Blood Coagulation Disorders↗

PubMed2002

Assessment of optic disc anatomy and nerve fiber layer thickness in ocular hypertensive subjects with normal short-wavelength automated perimetry.

PURPOSE: To compare optic disc topography and nerve fiber layer thickness in ocular hypertensive eyes and normal subjects. DESIGN: Prospective, case-controlled study. PARTICIPANTS AND CONTROLS: One eye in each of 20 normal and 27 ocular hypertensive patients was enrolled. METHODS: Consecutive normal and ocular hypertensive patients were enrolled. Each patient underwent complete ophthalmic examination, achromatic automated perimetry, short-wavelength automated perimetry, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, confocal scanning laser polarimetry, and optical coherence tomography. The intraocular pressure was 21 mmHg or less for normal subjects and at least 25 mmHg on two separate occasions in ocular hypertensive eyes. Structural parameters were compared between the two groups. Eyes with evidence of glaucomatous optic neuropathy, achromatic visual field loss, or evidence of focal visual field injury during short-wavelength automated perimetry were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Optic nerve head topography and nerve fiber layer thickness. RESULTS: The three imaging technologies could not detect differences in optic disc or nerve fiber layer anatomy between the two groups. Ocular hypertensive eyes had a greater corrected pattern standard deviation than normal eyes during short-wavelength automated perimetry (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Ocular hypertensive eyes with normal achromatic automated perimetry and short-wavelength automated perimetry could not be distinguished from normal subjects with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, confocal scanning laser polarimetry, and optical coherence tomography.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Automated vessel edge detection in velocity-encoded cine-MR (VEC-MR) flow measurements: a retrospective evaluation in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess feasibility of automated edge detection in magnetic resonance (MR) flow calculations in a clinical setting with critically ill patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Velocity encoded cine-MR (VEC-MR) flow measurements cross-sectional area (CSA), mean spatial velocity (MSV), instantaneous flow (IF), flow (F), 0.5 T Philips, TR 800-800, TE=8 ms, 30 degrees flip angle, FOV 280 mm, 128 x 256 matrix, temporal resolution 16 time frames/RR, VENC=120 cm/s) were obtained in 20 major thoracic human vessels (ascending aorta, main, right and left pulmonary artery-AAO, MPA, RPA, LPA) of five patients, suffering from severe chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Flow maps were evaluated by two independent observers using conventional manual edge detection (INTER m/m). Flow calculations were performed by one observer using both, manual and automated edge detection (INTRA m/a), by a second observer using automated edge detection two times (INTRA a/a) and by two independent observers using automated edge detection (INTER a/a). Evaluation time was measured. Linear regression analysis and Student's t-test were performed. RESULTS: Overall regression coefficients (r2) for INTER m/m, INTRA m/a, INTER a/a and INTRA a/a, respectively, were as follows: CSA, 0.91, 0.91, 0.96, 0.98; MSV, 0.97, 0.99, 0.99, 0.99; IF, 0.98, 0.99, 0.99, 0.99; F, 0.98, 0.99, 0.99, 0.99. Manual CSA values differed significantly from automated data in MPA (P=0.01), RPA (P=0.0008) and LPA (P=0.02). No difference was found for the other assessed parameters of the pulmonary circulation. Average evaluation time per vessel was 20.2+/-2.6 min for manual and 2.1+/-0.7 min for automated edge detection (P<0.00001). CONCLUSION: The software program used provided reproducible data, lead to a 90% reduction in evaluation and calculation time and, therefore, might excel the utilization of VEC-MR flow measurements. Despite variations in the evaluation of the pulmonary circulation CSAs, flow assessment is feasible in critically ill patients.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

PubMed1997

Electrocardiogram-gated intravascular ultrasound image acquisition after coronary stent deployment facilitates on-line three-dimensional reconstruction and automated lumen quantification.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the feasibility, reliability and reproducibility of electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image acquisition during automated transducer withdrawal and automated three-dimensional (3D) boundary detection for assessing on-line the result of coronary stenting. BACKGROUND: Systolic-diastolic image artifacts frequently limit the clinical applicability of such automated analysis systems. METHODS: In 30 patients, after successful angiography-guided implantation of 34 stents in 30 target lesions, we carried out IVUS examinations on-line with the use of ECG-gated automated 3D analyses and conventional manual analyses of two-dimensional images from continuous pullbacks. These on-line measurements were compared with off-line 3D reanalyses. The adequacy of stent deployment was determined by using ultrasound criteria for stent apposition, symmetry and expansion. RESULTS: Gated image acquisition was successfully performed in all patients to allow on-line 3D analysis within 8.7 +/- 0.6 min (mean +/- SD). Measurements by on-line and off-line 3D analyses correlated closely (r > or = 0.95), and the minimal stent lumen differed only minimally (8.6 +/- 2.8 mm2 vs. 8.5 +/- 2.8 mm2, p = NS). The conventional analysis significantly overestimated the minimal stent lumen (9.0 +/- 2.7 mm2, p < 0.005) in comparison with results of both 3D analyses. Fourteen stents (41%) failed to meet the criteria by both 3D analyses, all of these not reaching optimal expansion, but only 7 (21%) were detected by conventional analysis (p < 0.02). Intraobserver and interobserver comparison of stent lumen measurements by the automated approach revealed minimal differences (0.0 +/- 0.2 mm2 and 0.0 +/- 0.3 mm2) and excellent correlations (r = 0.99 and 0.98, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: ECG-gated image acquisition after coronary stent deployment is feasible, permits on-line automated 3D reconstruction and analysis and provides reliable and reproducible measurements; these factors facilitate detection of the minimal lumen site.

Coronary Angiography↗

PubMed1991

Asteroid hyalosis and axial length measurement using automated biometry.

Accurate axial length measurements are needed before intraocular lens implantation in patients with asteroid hyalosis requiring cataract extraction. We suspected that falsely short axial length measurements may be obtained using automated A-scan biometry when we found an automated measurement of 15.90 mm in a patient with severe unilateral asteroid hyalosis. A manual biometry measurement of 21.90 mm was obtained for comparison; this was within 0.2 mm of the manual reading in the opposite uninvolved eye. A case-control study was performed on 20 unilateral asteroid hyalosis subjects using the uninvolved eye as the control, comparing automated biometry and manual A-scan biometry to assess the effect of asteroid hyalosis on automated biometry measurements. Five subjects (25%) with asteroid hyalosis had falsely short axial length measurements of more than 1.00 mm using automated biometry. This would result in more than 2.50 diopters of error in the implanted lens power. This case-control study demonstrates that falsely short axial length measurements may be obtained using automated biometry in patients with asteroid hyalosis, leading to significant error in intraocular lens power calculations.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Automated echocardiographic quantification of left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction: validation in the intensive care setting.

To validate automated boundary detection measurements of left ventricular volumes, cardiac output, and ejection fraction, we studied 50 patients in the intensive care unit. End-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction were calculated by automated boundary detection and compared with two-dimensional echocardiographic images. Automated boundary detection-derived cardiac output was compared with thermodilution measurements and Doppler calculations of flow through the aortic and pulmonic valves. Automated boundary detection agreed well with two-dimensional measurements for end-diastolic volume (r = 0.98), end-systolic volume (r = 0.98), and ejection fraction (r = 0.91). Cardiac output derived from automated boundary detection correlated with two-dimensional echocardiographic measurements (r = 0.84), thermodilution (r = 0.83), aortic valve Doppler (r = 0.75), and pulmonic valve Doppler (r = 0.60). Automated boundary detection measurements of left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, and derived cardiac output are feasible in patients in intensive care units. This method yields rapid, accurate result compared with thermodilution, two-dimensional images, and Doppler measurements.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Development and evaluation of an automated stainer for acid-fast bacilli.

The current strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) relies on early diagnosis, and smear microscopy is an essential component of the laboratory diagnosis of TB in most countries with a high prevalence of the disease. However, even simple smear microscopy examination is far from satisfactory because staining results can vary among individual technicians. In an effort to minimize variations in manual staining procedures, we developed an automated stainer for AFB and evaluated its usefulness in comparison with manual staining. The key feature of our automated stainer is a heating apparatus required for fixation and carbol-fuchsin staining. After smear slides are placed into the machine, the entire staining process is fully automated, from fixation to final washing and drying. With the automated methods, five slides can be fixed and stained in 21 min at consistent high quality. Using sputum samples from 91 TB patients, the staining results of the automated stainer were compared blindly with those of manual staining. The concordance rate between the two methods was 94.5%. In addition, there was no significant difference in the rate of detection of AFB in the sputum samples. Although further optimization of the auto staining procedures is required, the results indicate that the automated AFB stainer developed in this study looks promising for use in clinical mycobacteriology laboratory in order to minimize personal variation during AFB staining.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed2006

Kinetic calibration for automated hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextraction.

Recently, a kinetic calibration method was developed for the quantification of microextraction. In this study, we proved that the sample volume and sampling time do not affect the feasibility of the calibration method, theoretically. The new theoretical considerations of the kinetic calibration method were validated through the investigation of the kinetics of the absorption and desorption processes of hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextractrion (HF-LPME). The kinetic calibration method for HF-LPME was successfully used to correct the matrix effects in the carbaryl analysis of a red wine sample. This research extends the kinetic calibration approach to fast sampling and some in-vial analyses, whereby the sample volume is not much larger than the product of the distribution coefficient and the volume of the extraction phase. HF-LPME technique was successfully automated with a CTC CombiPal autosampler, and a new device was designed for the automation of HF-LPME in this study. All steps of the HF-LPME technique, including the filling of the extraction solvent, sample transfer and agitation, withdrawing the solvent to a syringe, and introducing the extraction phase into the injector, were automated by a CTC autosampler. The fully automated HF-LPME technique is more convenient and more accurate. The good reproducibility of the fully automated HF-LPME technique eliminates the need for an internal standard to improve the analytical precision. The automated HF-LPME technique can be also used to obtain the distribution coefficient between the sample matrix and the extraction phase. The distribution coefficients of carbaryl and (13)C-carbaryl between 1-octanol and red wine, at 25 degrees C, were obtained with this technique.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1992

Clinical comparison of automated and manual keratometry in pre-operative ocular biometry.

Corneal measurements, using the manual (Topcon OM-4) and automated (Canon RK-1) keratometers was performed on 104 eyes of 104 patients undergoing cataract and implant surgery to assess the role of automated keratometry in pre-operative ocular biometry. Four eyes of four patients were excluded from statistical analyses for various reasons. The time taken to perform automated keratometry was a mean of 61 (SD 21) seconds compared to 205 (SD 37) seconds for manual keratometry; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In terms of the various keratometry values compared, mean K (corneal refractive power), flattest K, steepest K, astigmatism and the axis of astigmatism, 65% to 75% of the cases on automated keratometry were within 0.26 dioptres or 11 degrees of manually determined values; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Although automated keratometry was significantly quicker than manual keratometry, we continue to use manual keratometry values for intraocular lens power calculations as the accuracy demonstrated by automated keratometry was considered inadequate for this purpose.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Comparison of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate measured in the eye casualty department by the Seditainer method with an automated system.

PURPOSE: To compare a new automated system for the measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) with the established manual Seditainer method. METHODS: Two hundred and twelve patients undergoing investigation for giant cell arteritis or other systemic vasculitides had ESR measurements by both the established manual Seditainer and the new laboratory-based automated system. The results were compared by correlation coefficient and mean difference. The limits of agreement with confidence intervals were also calculated. RESULTS: Across the range of results from 1 to 120 mm/h, the correlation coefficient was 0.844. The automated method had a mean negative bias of -9.8 mm/h (95% confidence interval: -12.2 to -7.4 mm/h). The wide scatter of results produced limits of agreement (+/- 2 standard deviations) between the two methods of -45 to 26 mm/h. There were seven results that were underestimated by the automated system which were clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide degree of scatter between the two sets of results. The automated system has a negative bias when compared with the manual method. There is a propensity for the automated system to sporadically underestimate the true result, sometimes to a degree that is clinically significant. The authors therefore cannot recommend replacement of the manual Seditainer system at the present time.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphokine-activated killer cell generation and recovery. Comparison of an automated cell processing device and a manual procedure.

This report describes the separation or processing of leukapheresis-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells, their culture in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to generate lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, and the harvest of LAK cells using the Du Pont SteriCell processor and culture containers. The report compares this automated closed system to the standard National Cancer Institute (NCI) manual protocols. Lymphocytes (approximately 2.0 x 10(10)) were harvested on the Cobe 2997 blood cell separator for each set of experiments. A set of experiments using automated Ficoll-Isopaque (FI) separation and a set of experiments using an automated wash for platelet reduction were compared to the respective manual methods. SteriCell culture containers were compared to roller bottles, and automated harvest was compared to manual harvest. The cytolytic activity of LAK cells was assayed against that of Daudi cells in a standard 51Cr release assay. The cytolytic activity of LAK cells prepared by a manual method and by the automated SteriCell method are equivalent. The manual and SteriCell FI separation procedures were substantially equivalent. The SteriCell harvest method gave higher recoveries than the manual harvest method (p = 0.04 and p = 0.07), but the overall recovery of LAK cells was not significantly different. Differential counts on the products were similar. Platelet reduction by the SteriCell automated wash procedure was greater than that by the manual procedure (p = 0.05). The SteriCell system represents an acceptable alternative to the manual methods for LAK cell generation and recovery.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

[15 years automated perimetry--where does the path lead?].

15 years ago the first fully automated perimeter became available, the Octopus 201, developed by Fankhauser in Bern. Some of the objections which were raised in those days against automated perimeters have turned out true, many, however, not. From todays perspective automated perimetry has brought tremendous advantages for clinical routine diagnosis. The essential power of automated perimetry is its ability to obtain quantitative data which can be processed statistically. The examination of the central visual field may be performed in a much more sophisticated way than by manual kinetic testing. Automated perimetry, however, also has its draw-backs, which are mostly due to mistakes or errors by the examiner, not so much to the method itself. For routine light-sense perimetry the upcoming years will give us faster and optimized testing strategies. Procedures for automated interpretation of visual field data will be developed. The interest in more complex perimetric test criteria goes on one hand into the direction of independence of disturbancies of the optical media (e.g. temporal criteria), on the other hand into the differentiation of various cell populations in the visual system (Blue/Yellow-Perimetry; Motion-Defined-Form etc.). For objective perimetry a powerful system for pattern-ERG and pattern-VECP with a spatial resolution comparable to standard perimetric tests is available. Also in these fields of perimetry the coming years will bring interesting and revolutionary new developments which will open new diagnostic dimensions.

Electroretinography↗

PubMed2000

Use of automated external defibrillators by a U.S. airline.

BACKGROUND: Passengers who have ventricular fibrillation aboard commercial aircraft rarely survive, owing to the delay in obtaining emergency care and defibrillation. METHODS: In 1997, a major U.S. airline began equipping its aircraft with automated external defibrillators. Flight attendants were trained in the use of the defibrillator and applied the device when passengers had a lack of consciousness, pulse, or respiration. The automated external defibrillator was also used as a monitor for other medical emergencies, generally at the direction of a passenger who was a physician. The electrocardiogram that was obtained during each use of the device was analyzed by two arrhythmia specialists for appropriateness of use. We analyzed data on all 200 instances in which the defibrillators were used between June 1, 1997, and July 15, 1999. RESULTS: Automated external defibrillators were used for 200 patients (191 on the aircraft and 9 in the terminal), including 99 with documented loss of consciousness. Electrocardiographic data were available for 185 patients. The administration of shock was advised in all 14 patients who had electrocardiographically documented ventricular fibrillation, and no shock was advised in the remaining patients (sensitivity and specificity of the defibrillator in identifying ventricular fibrillation, 100 percent). The first shock successfully defibrillated the heart in 13 patients (defibrillation was withheld in 1 case at the family's request). The rate of survival to discharge from the hospital after shock with the automated external defibrillator was 40 percent. A total of 36 patients either died or were resuscitated after cardiac arrest. No complications arose from use of the automated external defibrillator as a monitor in conscious passengers. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the automated external defibrillator aboard commercial aircraft is effective, with an excellent rate of survival to discharge from the hospital after conversion of ventricular fibrillation. There are not likely to be complications when the device is used as a monitor in the absence of ventricular fibrillation.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Evaluation of an automated urinalysis system for testing urine chemistry, microscopy and culture.

AIMS: This study was designed to evaluate the performance of an automated urinalysis system that utilised three commercially available instruments, the Clinitek Atlas, Sysmex UF-100 and the Alifax Uro-Quick. METHODS: The results of the automated system for 818 urine samples were compared with the results of manual processing which consisted of phase contrast microscopy, manual dipstick chemistry analysis and culture onto solid media. RESULTS: The correlation between the two methods for urine chemistry was excellent with a concordance of 89, 97, 100 and 98% for pH, blood, glucose and protein, respectively. The quantification of red blood cells and white blood cells had an R2 of 0.855 and 0.92, respectively. A difference scatter plot indicated a trend towards the manual cell count being greater than the UF-100 count as both the red and white blood cell count increased. There was 98% agreement between the automated process and manual culture. CONCLUSIONS: The automated urinalysis system is fully integrated and allows for the cross-checking of urine chemistry and microscopy as well as electronic transfer of data. The automated process was used as a screening procedure and some manual testing was necessary. Automation of urinalysis offers a reduction in variation and has comparable results to manual testing.

Autoanalysis↗