JP2008026036A - Inclusion measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a specimen measuring device capable of measuring always properly an inclusion included in the specimen having always a proper concentration. <P>SOLUTION: The specimen measuring device 10 is equipped with a first light source 12 and a second light source 22 emitting each light having each different wavelength and modulation frequency. Each light from the two light sources 12, 22 is guided onto the same optical path by an optical unit including a beam splitter 30 or the like, and then focused on serum 104. The intensity of transmitted light transmitted through the serum 104 is detected by a detector 36. Each detected intensity of the transmitted light is discriminated relative to each frequency, namely, each wavelength, by BPF. An operation processing part calculates an absorption amount by the serum relative to each wavelength based on the intensity of the transmitted light discriminated relative to each wavelength, and calculates the concentration of hemolysis, chyle or the like based on the absorption amount. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inclusion content measuring apparatus that measures the concentration of inclusions contained in a specimen accommodated in a translucent container.

  When performing a sample test, it may be necessary to measure the concentration of the contents contained in the sample in advance. For example, serum obtained by centrifuging blood contains substances such as hemolysis, chyle, and bilirubin. Of these, hemolysis and chyle are called interfering substances and are known to affect the accuracy of serum tests. Therefore, when conducting a serum test, it is desirable to measure the concentration of interfering substances (chyle and hemolysis) contained in the serum in advance and evaluate the test result of the serum based on the measurement result .

  Various techniques for measuring this interfering substance have been proposed. As one of the techniques, a technique for acquiring color information of serum using a CCD camera and measuring interfering substances has been proposed. According to this technique, it is possible to measure an interfering substance relatively easily. However, this technique has a problem that it is difficult to apply when an identification medium such as a barcode label is attached to the side surface of the sample container containing the sample. That is, in many cases, an identification medium for identifying the specimen is attached to the specimen container. However, when such an identification medium is present, it is difficult to obtain color information of the specimen. As a result, the contents contained in the specimen cannot be measured.

JP 2005-140615 A JP 2006-10453 A

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose techniques for performing a specimen test regardless of the presence or absence of a barcode label. This is a technique for measuring the boundary surface of a sample separated into serum, blood clot, and the like by a centrifugal separation process, utilizing the fact that the light absorbance (absorbance) is different for each type of substance. The specimen after centrifugation is scanned while being irradiated with light of a predetermined wavelength, and the boundary surface of the specimen is specified based on the change in absorbance obtained at that time. At this time, since the change in absorbance due to the barcode label is also taken into consideration, the boundary surface of the sample can be appropriately measured even if the entire periphery of the sample container is covered with the barcode label. However, this technique is a boundary surface measurement technique to the last, and cannot be applied to the measurement of the inclusion contained in the specimen such as the disturbing substances described above.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sample measuring apparatus that can always appropriately measure the content contained in a sample.

  The inclusion measuring apparatus of the present invention is an inclusion measuring apparatus that measures the concentration of inclusions contained in a specimen contained in a light-transmitting container, and a plurality of light sources that emit light having different wavelengths and modulation frequencies, and Optical means for guiding light from a plurality of light sources to the specimen contained in the transparent container and focusing the specimen in the specimen, detection means for detecting the intensity of light transmitted through at least the specimen, and detection means Based on the discrimination means for discriminating the light intensity based on the modulation frequency, and calculating the amount of light absorption by the sample for each wavelength based on the light intensity discriminated for each modulation frequency, and the sample based on the calculated amount of light absorption And a calculating means for calculating the concentration of the contained material.

  In a preferred embodiment, the detection means also detects the intensity of light scattered by the specimen. In another preferred aspect, the plurality of light sources includes a first light source disposed in front of the light-transmitting container and a second light source disposed at a position off the optical axis of the first light source, and optical means Is a semi-reflector disposed at the intersection of the optical axis of the first light source and the optical axis of the second light source, and transmits light from the first light source and reflects light from the second light source. It includes a semi-reflector that guides light from the first light source and the second light source to the same optical path.

  In another preferred aspect, the discriminating means includes a plurality of bandpass filters provided corresponding to each light source, and the passband of each bandpass filter includes the modulation frequency of the corresponding light source, and the light source that does not correspond Is set to a value that does not include the modulation frequency.

  In another preferred embodiment, the plurality of light sources emit light having a first wavelength that is difficult to be absorbed by the first inclusion that is the object to be measured, and light having a second wavelength that is easily absorbed by the first inclusion. A light source, and the calculating means estimates the light absorption amount of the second wavelength light by other inclusions from the light absorption amount of the first wavelength light by the sample, and calculates the light absorption amount of the second wavelength light by the sample. By dividing the estimated light absorption amount of the second wavelength by the other inclusions, the light absorption amount of the second wavelength light by the first inclusion is calculated, and the calculated second inclusion amount by the first inclusion is calculated. The concentration of the first inclusion is calculated based on the light absorption amount of the wavelength. In this case, when an identification medium in which identification information of each specimen is recorded is attached to the side surface of the translucent container, the first wavelength is a wavelength that is easily absorbed by the second inclusion and the identification medium that are measured objects. The calculating means excludes the light absorption amount of the first wavelength by the identification medium, which has been measured in advance, from the light absorption amount of the first wavelength by the specimen, thereby obtaining the light of the first wavelength by the second inclusion. It is desirable to calculate the concentration of the second inclusion based on the calculated light absorption amount of the first wavelength of light by the second inclusion.

  According to the present invention, the amount of light absorbed by the sample is calculated for each wavelength based on the light intensity discriminated for each modulation frequency, and the concentration of the content contained in the sample is calculated based on the calculated amount of light absorbed is doing. Therefore, even when the identification medium is attached to the translucent container, appropriate concentration measurement can be performed in a short time.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the serum that is the measurement target in this embodiment will be briefly described. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a blood sample 100 separated into serum 104 and blood clot 108 by centrifugation. Usually, a blood sample 100 collected from a subject is subjected to a centrifugal separation process in a state where it is accommodated in a translucent sample container 102 such as a test tube. The blood sample 100 is separated into a serum 104 and a blood clot 106 with a separating agent 106 in between by the centrifugation process. Serum 104 obtained by centrifugation is known to contain chyle, hemolysis, and bilirubin. Of these, chyle and hemolysis may adversely affect serum analysis performed in the subsequent steps. It is therefore called a disturbing substance. In this embodiment, the concentration of interfering substances that adversely affect the serum analysis is measured.

  Here, as a technique for measuring an interfering substance, a technique for acquiring serum color information with a CCD camera and measuring the concentration of the interfering substance based on the color information is known. According to this technique, it becomes possible to measure an interfering substance relatively easily. However, generally, an identification medium 110 such as a barcode label is attached to the side surface of the sample container 102 in order to identify the sample contained in the sample container. In the state where the identification medium 110 is stuck, the color information cannot be acquired. Therefore, when measuring the interfering substance based on the color information, it is necessary to perform a process such as taking out only the serum into a separate container after the centrifugation process. This transfer to another container is complicated and causes a decrease in serum measurement efficiency. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the serum 104 obtained after the centrifugation process is not transferred to another container, but is kept as it is, that is, stored in the sample container 102 to which the identification medium 110 is attached. taking measurement.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the sample measuring apparatus 10 that realizes such serum measurement. The sample measuring apparatus 10 includes two light sources 12 and 22 that emit light having different wavelengths. The wavelength of the light emitted from each of the light sources 12 and 22 is determined based on the respective light absorption characteristics of hemolysis and chyle that are the objects to be measured. Specifically, the first wavelength λ1, which is the wavelength of the light emitted from the first light source 12, is high in absorbance due to chyle and low in absorbance due to other contained substances, that is, hemolysis and bilirubin. Is set. The second wavelength λ2, which is the wavelength of light emitted from the second light source 22, is set to a wavelength at which the absorbance due to hemolysis is high and the absorbance due to bilirubin is low.

  This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the light absorption characteristics of three kinds of contained substances contained in serum, namely hemolysis, chyle, and bilirubin. In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis indicates the wavelength and the vertical axis indicates the absorbance. The solid line shows hemolysis, the thick solid line shows chyle, and the broken line shows the light absorption characteristics of bilirubin.

  As is well known, the absorbance is a value indicating the intensity at which light is absorbed by a substance. Specifically, the absorbance M is obtained by the following equation 1. In Equation 1, Iin represents the intensity of irradiated light, and Iout represents the intensity of light transmitted through the substance.

  M = log (Iin / Iout) Equation 1

  FIG. 3 shows the results of measuring the absorbance of each of hemolysis, chyle, and bilirubin based on Equation 1. As is clear from FIG. 3, the absorbance of bilirubin varies greatly in the region below the wavelength λa and maintains a value equal to or higher than the reference value Mst. When the wavelength is longer than λa, the absorbance of bilirubin hardly changes and is stable at a value less than the reference value Mst. Further, the absorbance of hemolysis varies greatly in the region where the wavelength is smaller than λb (λb <λa), and maintains a value equal to or higher than the reference value Mst. When the wavelength is longer than λb, the absorbance of hemolysis hardly changes and stabilizes at a value less than the reference value Mst. The absorbance of chyle does not change rapidly as a whole, and gradually decreases as the wavelength increases, but does not fall below the reference value Mst. Therefore, the absorbance of chyle continues to maintain a value equal to or greater than the reference value Mb even after the wavelength λb, where the absorbance of hemolysis and bilirubin is equal to or less than the reference value Mst.

  Therefore, the first wavelength λ1 that is a wavelength at which the absorbance of chyle is high and the absorbance of hemolysis and bilirubin is low (λb or more) is selected from the range Ea of λb or more in FIG. In the present embodiment, a wavelength that is somewhat distant from the wavelength λb is selected as the first wavelength λ1. Further, the second wavelength λ2, which is a wavelength at which the absorbance of hemolysis is high (less than λb) and the absorbance of bilirubin is low (λa or more), is selected from the range Eb of λa or more and less than λb in FIG. In the present embodiment, the wavelength at which the absorbance of hemolysis becomes the highest is selected as the second λ2 in the range Eb.

  Returning to FIG. 2 again, the configuration of the sample measurement apparatus 10 will be described. Drive circuits 14 and 24 and oscillators 16 and 26 are connected to the light sources 12 and 22, respectively. The drive circuits 14 and 24 drive the light sources 12 and 22 according to the oscillation frequency output from the oscillators 16 and 26, and modulate the light emitted from the light sources 12 and 22, respectively. Therefore, the light emitted from the two light sources 12 and 22 is modulated to different frequencies. That is, the light from the first light source 12 (wavelength λ1) is modulated to the first frequency f1, and the light from the second light source 22 (wavelength λ1) is modulated to the second frequency f2. The values of the two frequencies f1 and f2 are not particularly limited as long as the light can be discriminated by a band-pass filter described later.

  The sample measuring apparatus 10 is also provided with an optical unit for guiding the light emitted from the two light sources 12 and 22 to the serum 104 accommodated in the sample container 102. This optical unit is an optical member group for finally guiding two types of light emitted from the two light sources 12 and 22 on the same optical path and condensing them at approximately the center of the specimen container 102. Specifically, the optical unit includes a beam splitter 30 that transmits light from the first light source 12 while bending light from the pinholes 18 and 28 disposed in front of the light sources 12 and 22 and the second light source 24. , And a single condensing lens 32 that condenses the light from the two light sources 12 and 22 guided on the same optical path. The first light source 12 is disposed in front of the sample container, the second light source 22 is disposed at a position off the optical axis of the first light source 12.

  The light emitted from the first light source 12 is focused by the pinhole 18 disposed in front of the first light source 12, passes through the beam splitter 30, and is collected by the condenser lens 32. Then, the light passes through the translucent specimen container 102 and focuses on the serum 104 contained in the specimen container 102.

  The second light source 22 is arranged at a position where its optical axis can intersect the optical axis of the first light source 12. A beam splitter 30 is provided at the intersection between the optical axis of the second light source 22 and the optical axis of the first light source 12. The beam splitter 30 transmits light having a wavelength λ1 and reflects light having a wavelength λ2. In other words, the beam splitter 30 transmits light from the first light source 12, and reflects light from the second light source 22. It is a semi-reflective member. The beam splitter 30 is disposed so that the reflection surface thereof is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the second light source 22, and bends the light emitted from the second light source 22. The light from the second light source 22 reflected by the beam splitter 30 travels on the same optical path as the light from the first light source 12 and is collected by the condenser lens 32. Then, like the light from the first light source 12, the light passes through the translucent specimen container 102 and focuses on the serum 104 accommodated in the specimen container 102.

  In addition, the structure of the optical unit demonstrated here, the arrangement position of each light source 12,22, etc. are examples. Therefore, as long as the light emitted from the plurality of light sources 12 and 22 can be guided on the same optical path and can be condensed at substantially the center of the specimen container 102, naturally an optical unit having another configuration may be used. Moreover, the arrangement position of each light source 12 and 22 can also be changed suitably.

  Condensed light that condenses the light transmitted through the serum 104 on the position facing the first light source 12 with the sample container 102 interposed therebetween, in other words, on the optical path extension lines of the two types of light emitted from the light sources 12 and 22. A lens 34 and a detector 36 for detecting the intensity of the collected transmitted light are provided.

  Here, when the identification medium 110 is attached to the side surface of the specimen container 102, the number of times that the light incident on the serum and the light emitted (transmitted) from the serum passes through the identification medium 110 is always constant. It is desirable to adjust the positional relationship between the sample containers 22 and 22 and the sample container 102. If the number of times the light incident on the serum and the light emitted (transmitted) from the serum pass through the identification medium 110 are different for each specimen, the absorbance by the identification medium 110 described later will also be different for each specimen. This is because it is impossible to measure the concentration.

  Next, the configuration after the detector 36 will be described with reference to FIG. The transmitted light intensity signal detected by the detector 36 is converted into a voltage value by the first amplifier 38 and then amplified by the second amplifier 40. Two band pass filters (BPF) 42 and 52 are provided at the subsequent stage of the second amplifier 40.

  The passband of each BPF 42, 52 is associated with the modulation frequency of each light source 12, 22. That is, the pass band of the first BPF 42 is set to a band that includes the modulation frequency f1 of the first light source 12 and does not include the modulation frequency f2 of the second light source 22. Similarly, the pass band of the second BPF 52 is set to a band that includes the modulation frequency f2 of the second light source 22 and does not include the modulation frequency f1 of the first light source 12.

  The intensity signals detected by the detector 36 are discriminated for each of the light sources 12 and 22 by the two types of BPFs 42 and 52. That is, the intensity signal detected by the detector 36 is a signal in which the transmitted light intensity of the light of wavelength λ1 and the transmitted light intensity of the light of wavelength λ2 are mixed. In this mixed state, it is difficult to measure the concentration of interfering substances, which will be described later. In this embodiment, BPFs 42 and 52 corresponding to the modulation frequencies of the respective lights are provided to distinguish the intensity signals.

  Here, as a method of acquiring the transmitted light intensity for each wavelength, a method of irradiating light of different wavelengths at different timings and measuring the transmitted light intensity for each wavelength is also conceivable. That is, first, the serum is irradiated with only light having the first wavelength λ1, and the transmitted light intensity is detected by a light receiver or the like. Then, the structure which irradiates serum only with the light of 2nd wavelength (lambda) 2, and detects the transmitted light intensity with a light receiver etc. can also be considered. However, in this case, there is a problem that the time for light irradiation is required for each wavelength, and the measurement time becomes long. Further, there is a problem that a light irradiation mechanism capable of changing the wavelength is required, and the configuration is likely to be complicated.

  On the other hand, if the configuration is such that, as in this embodiment, light of different wavelengths is simultaneously irradiated and the obtained transmitted light intensity is discriminated by the modulation frequency, the time required for light irradiation can be significantly reduced. As a result, the concentration can be measured in a short time. Further, as is apparent from the above description, the light irradiation mechanism can be realized with a relatively simple configuration.

  The intensity signal discriminated for each modulation frequency and for each wavelength is input to the arithmetic processing unit 60. The arithmetic processing unit 60 calculates the concentration of chyle and hemolysis contained in the serum 104 based on the two types of input intensity signals. A detailed flow of this calculation will be described later.

  Next, the flow of measuring the concentration of chyle and hemolysis by the sample measuring apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of concentration measurement. When measuring the concentration of chyle and hemolysis, first, light with wavelengths λ1 and λ2 is simultaneously irradiated to the serum stored in the specimen container 102 (S10). As described above, this light irradiation is performed by driving the first light source 12 and the second light source 22. At this time, the light of wavelength λ1 emitted from the first light source 12 is emitted in a modulated state, and the light of wavelength λ2 emitted from the second light source 22 is irradiated to the second frequency f2.

  A part of the light irradiated to the serum is absorbed by the identification medium 110 attached to the side surface of the specimen container 102, chyle or hemolysis contained in the serum, and the other part is transmitted through the serum and the detector. Reach 36. The detector 36 detects the intensity of the transmitted light (S12).

  The detected transmitted light intensity is input to the two BPFs 42 and 52 after undergoing conversion processing to voltage signals, amplification processing, and the like. By these two BPFs 42 and 52, the intensity signals are discriminated into signals of frequencies f1 and f2, respectively (S14). Here, as described above, the light having the wavelength λ1 is modulated to the frequency f1, and the light having the wavelength λ2 is modulated to the frequency f2. Therefore, it can be said that the light discriminated according to the frequency is discriminated for each wavelength.

  The arithmetic processing unit 60 calculates the concentration of chyle and hemolysis based on the intensity signal discriminated for each frequency and each wavelength. Specifically, the arithmetic processing unit 60 firstly includes, based on the intensity signal output from the first BPF 42, serum 104 (containing chyle, hemolysis, etc.) contained in the sample container 102 to which the identification medium 110 is attached. ) For the light of the first wavelength λ1 (hereinafter referred to as “first absorbance M1”) (S16). The first absorbance M1 is calculated using the above-described equation 1.

  Here, the first absorbance M1 will be briefly described. As described above, the first wavelength λ1 is a wavelength that is easily absorbed by chyle but hardly absorbed by hemolysis or bilirubin. The first wavelength λ1 is a wavelength that is also absorbed to some extent by the identification medium 110 such as a bar code label attached to the side surface of the sample container 102. Therefore, the first absorbance M1, which is the absorbance of the serum 104 contained in the sample container 102, can be said to be a value in which the absorbance by the identification medium 110 and the absorbance by the chyle contained in the serum 104 in the first wavelength light are mixed. .

  Subsequently, based on the intensity signal output from the second BPF 52, the arithmetic processing unit 60 absorbs light of the second wavelength λ2 with respect to the serum 104 stored in the sample container 102 (hereinafter referred to as “second absorbance M2”). Is calculated (S16). Here, the second wavelength λ2 is a wavelength that is easily absorbed by chyle and hemolysis, but hardly absorbed by bilirubin. The second wavelength λ2 is a wavelength that is also absorbed to some extent by the identification medium 110 such as a bar code label attached to the side surface of the sample container 102. Therefore, the second absorbance M2, which is the absorbance of the light of the second wavelength λ2 with respect to the serum, is the absorbance by the identification medium 110 in the light of the second wavelength, the absorbance by the chyle contained in the serum 104, and the serum 104. It can be said that the absorbance due to hemolysis is mixed.

Next, the arithmetic processing unit 60 calculates the absorbance M _a1 of chyle at the first wavelength λ1 based on the first absorbance M1 (S22). That is, the first absorbance M1 calculated in step S16, and the absorbance M _a1 by chyle contained in the serum in the first wavelength .lambda.1, values absorbance M _c1 by identification medium 110 in the first wavelength .lambda.1 Mixed It is. Among these, the absorbance M _a1 due to chyle increases as the concentration of _chyle in the serum 104 increases, resulting in a solid difference for each specimen. On the other hand, since the optical characteristics of the identification medium 110 are almost the same regardless of the specimen, the absorbance M _c1 by the identification medium 110 is almost constant and there is almost no solid difference between specimens. it can. In other words, the absorbance M _c1 by identification medium 110 are mixed in the first absorbance M1 can be regarded as a fixed value.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, in advance by measuring the absorbance M _c1 identification medium 110 in the optical wavelength .lambda.1. Then, a value obtained by dividing the absorbance M _c1 of the identification medium 110 in the light with the wavelength λ1 from the first absorbance M1 is set as the absorbance M _a1 due to the chyle at the wavelength λ1 (M _a1 = M1−M _c1 ). Since the absorbance M _a1 is a value proportional to the concentration of chyle, the arithmetic processing unit 60 calculates the chyle concentration in the serum based on the absorbance M _a1 (S24).

If the chyle concentration can be calculated, the absorbance M _b2 of hemolysis at the second wavelength λ2 is calculated (S26). Here, the second absorbance M2 is at the wavelength .lambda.2, absorbance M _b2 of hemolysis contained in the serum, the absorbance M _a2 of chyle contained in the serum, the absorbance M _b2 identification medium 110, but It is a mixed value. This second absorbance M2, Excluding absorbance M _c2 absorbance M _b2 and identification medium 110 of chyle in the light of the wavelength .lambda.2, absorbance M _b2 of hemolysis for light having a wavelength _.lambda.2, therefore, hemolysis concentrations in serum It can be calculated. Here, the absorbance of the chyle and identification medium 110 gradually decreases as the wavelength increases. Therefore, if multiplied by a predetermined coefficient to the absorbance M _c1 identification medium 110 being measured chyle M _a1 and advance with respect to light having a wavelength λ1 which is calculated in step S22, the absorbance of the chyle and the identification medium 110 with respect to light having a wavelength λ2 M _a2 and M _c2 are obtained. That is, M _a2 = α × M _a1 and M _c2 = β × M _c1 . Α and β are coefficients indicating the rate of change in absorbance of the chyle and identification medium 110 with a change in wavelength.

The absorbance M _a2 and M _c2 of the chyle and identification medium 110 in the light of this wavelength λ2 is divided from the second absorbance M2 to obtain the absorbance M _b2 of hemolysis at the wavelength λ2 (M _b2 = M2− (M _a2). + M _c2 )). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 60 calculates the concentration of hemolysis contained in the serum based on the absorbance M _b2 of hemolysis with respect to the wavelength λ2 (S28).

  As is clear from the above description, according to this embodiment, even when an identification medium such as a bar code label is attached to the sample container, the amount of the interfering substance can be easily measured. it can. Further, when measuring the concentration, the serum is irradiated with a plurality of types of light having different wavelengths, and the plurality of types of light is frequency-modulated for each wavelength and discriminated by frequency as necessary. Therefore, the transmitted light intensity for each wavelength can be obtained even when a plurality of types of light are irradiated simultaneously. As a result, the time required for light irradiation for concentration measurement, and hence the time required for concentration measurement, can be greatly reduced.

  In the present embodiment, only transmitted light is detected. However, naturally, scattered light may also be detected. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the condenser lens 70 and the detector 72 are provided not only on the optical path extension line of the irradiation light but also on the side of the sample container 102 and at a position off the optical path of the irradiation light. You may make it detect the scattered light intensity scattered by the milky milk etc. which were contained in serum. In this case as well, similarly to the above-described embodiment, two BPFs are provided after the detector 72, and the scattered light intensity may be discriminated for each frequency and thus for each wavelength. By adopting such a configuration that also detects scattered light intensity, more accurate concentration measurement is possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case of measuring chyle and serum concentration contained in serum is described as an example. However, by appropriately changing the wavelength of light to be used, naturally, measurement of other substance concentrations is performed. It can also be applied to. For example, when you want to measure the amount of pure serum excluding hemolysis, chyle, bilirubin, etc., use light with a wavelength that easily absorbs water and light with a wavelength that hardly absorbs water. Based on the comparison of light absorbance, the amount of water, and hence the amount of pure serum, may be calculated. In addition, although two wavelengths of light are used in the present embodiment, more types of light may be used depending on the characteristics of the object to be measured.

It is a figure which shows the mode of the blood sample after a centrifugation process. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the sample measuring device which is embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the light absorption characteristic of the substance contained in serum. It is a block diagram which shows the structure after a detector. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a density | concentration measurement. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of another sample measuring apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  10 Sample measuring device, 12, 22 Light source, 14, 24 Drive circuit, 16, 26 Oscillator, 18, 28 Pinhole, 30 Beam splitter, 32, 34, 70 Condensing lens, 36 Detector, 38, 40, 72 Amplifier 42, 52 BPF, 60 arithmetic processing unit, 102 specimen container, 104 serum, 110 identification medium.

Claims (6)

A content measuring apparatus for measuring a concentration of a content contained in a specimen contained in a light-transmitting container,
A plurality of light sources emitting light having different wavelengths and modulation frequencies;
Optical means for guiding light from a plurality of light sources to the specimen contained in the transparent container and focusing in the specimen;
Detection means for detecting at least the intensity of light transmitted through the specimen;
Discrimination means for discriminating the light intensity detected by the detection means based on the modulation frequency;
Based on the light intensity discriminated for each modulation frequency, calculating the amount of absorption by the sample for each wavelength, and calculating means for calculating the concentration of the content contained in the sample based on the calculated amount of absorption;
An inclusion content measuring apparatus comprising: The inclusion measuring apparatus according to claim 1,
The inclusion measuring apparatus, wherein the detection means also detects the intensity of light scattered by the specimen. The inclusion measuring apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The plurality of light sources includes a first light source disposed on the front surface of the translucent container, and a second light source disposed at a position off the optical axis of the first light source,
The optical means is a semi-reflector disposed at the intersection of the optical axis of the first light source and the optical axis of the second light source, and transmits light from the first light source and reflects light from the second light source. And a semi-reflector for guiding light from the first light source and the second light source to the same optical path. The inclusion measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The discriminating means includes a plurality of bandpass filters provided corresponding to each light source,
The inclusion measuring apparatus, wherein the passband of each bandpass filter is set to a value including a modulation frequency of a corresponding light source and not including a modulation frequency of a non-corresponding light source. It is the inclusion measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Multiple light sources
A light source that emits light of a first wavelength that is difficult to be absorbed by the first inclusion that is the object to be measured;
A light source that emits light of a second wavelength that is easily absorbed by the first inclusion;
Including
The calculation means is
From the absorbance of light at the first wavelength by the sample, estimate the absorbance of light at the second wavelength by other contents,
Calculate the absorbance of the second wavelength of light by the first inclusion by dividing the estimated absorbance of the second wavelength of the other inclusion by the absorbance of the second wavelength of light from the sample. ,
The content measuring apparatus characterized in that the concentration of the first content is calculated based on the calculated light absorption amount of the second wavelength by the first content. The inclusion measuring apparatus according to claim 5,
When an identification medium in which identification information of each specimen is recorded is attached to the side surface of the translucent container,
The first wavelength is a wavelength that is easily absorbed by the second inclusion that is the object to be measured and the identification medium,
The calculating means excludes the light absorption amount of the first wavelength by the identification medium, which has been measured in advance, from the light absorption amount of the first wavelength by the specimen, thereby absorbing the light of the first wavelength by the second inclusion. Calculate the quantity,
The content measuring apparatus, wherein the concentration of the second content is calculated based on the calculated light absorption amount of the first wavelength by the second content.

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