Patent ID: 11879904
Assignee: ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. An in-vitro diagnostic method comprising performing a first diagnostic test and a second diagnostic test, the first diagnostic test having a higher susceptibility to carryover than the second diagnostic test, the method comprising:
providing a reusable aspiration probe comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid,
providing a first probe wash station comprising a first wash chamber holding a first wash fluid and an ultrasonic cleaner comprising an ultrasonic vibrator configured to propagate an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid,
sequentially aspirating different respective test fluids with the reusable aspiration probe,
washing the aspiration probe before performing the first diagnostic test and before performing the second diagnostic test, wherein washing the aspiration probe before performing the first diagnostic test comprises:
dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid,
aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe,
propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, while the first wash fluid is within the inner space of the aspiration probe,
expelling the first wash fluid from the inner space, and
rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid, wherein the first wash fluid is a different fluid from the second wash fluid, and
wherein washing the aspiration probe before performing the second diagnostic test with lower susceptibility to carry over comprises only rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with the second wash fluid.