Abstract:
A smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of a sample on a slide grass are described, a representative one of which includes: (a) a smear preparing device for preparing the smear on the slide glass based on a smear preparing condition; (b) an input unit for inputting a smear preparing condition; (c) a memory for storing the smear preparing conditions input by the input unit, each of the smear preparing conditions being in connection with a condition identification data; (d) an information acceptor for accepting a condition identification data; and (e) a controller for retrieving the smear preparing condition corresponding to the condition identification data accepted by the information acceptor from the memory and controlling the smear preparing device so as to preparing a smear based on the retrieved smear preparing condition.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVETION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of sampled blood, bone-marrow fluid and the like.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Conventionally, in order to observe blood or the like by a microscope or the like, a smear preparing apparatus in which blood or the like is dropped on a slide glass and smeared by a spreader glass (smearing member) to generate a smear is used.  
         [0003]     Since each sample has different characteristics such as particle density, viscosity and the like, if the smear is always generated under the same condition, the smear becomes unsuitable for observation in some samples.  
         [0004]     Therefore, there is known a smear preparing apparatus in which the smearing condition is set every sample based on a measurement result from a blood analyzer (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,903).  
         [0005]     According to such conventional apparatus, the smearing condition is determined based on a hematocrit value, for example. In addition, since it is known that blood viscosity is increased as a hemoglobin amount is increased in general, it is considered that the smearing condition is set based on the measurement result of the hemoglobin amount.  
         [0006]     In addition, although the method of setting the smearing condition by the above conventional apparatus is very effective when the smear is automatically generated, it does not respond to a case of the special sample or various kinds of user&#39;s needs.  
         [0007]     For example, although the hematocrit value of a leukemia patient is normal or slightly small, it has been found that the WBC (White Blood Cell) of the leukemia patient is weak and liable to be destroyed.  
         [0008]     When a blood smear of such patient is made, it is necessary to make it thicker than the smear made under the smearing condition based on the normal hematocrit value when the blood on the slide glass is smeared by the spreader glass, so as not to destroy the WBC.  
         [0009]     In addition, observers who observe the smear by a microscope have different demands for the smear. That is, some observers want to observe thin and spread smear and some observers want to observe the smear thickly collected in a small region.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0010]     The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary.  
         [0011]     A smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of a sample on a slide grass embodying features of the first present invention includes: (a) a smear preparing device for preparing the smear on the slide glass based on a smear preparing condition; (b) an input unit for inputting a smear preparing condition; (c) a memory for storing the smear preparing conditions input by the input unit, each of the smear preparing conditions being in connection with a condition identification data; (d) an information acceptor for accepting a condition identification data; and (e) a controller for retrieving the smear preparing condition corresponding to the condition identification data accepted by the information acceptor from the memory and controlling the smear preparing device so as to preparing a smear based on the retrieved smear preparing condition.  
         [0012]     A smear preparing apparatus for preparing a smear of a sample on a slide grass embodying features of the second present invention includes: (a) a smear preparing device for preparing the smear on the slide glass based on a smear preparing condition; (b) an input unit for inputting a smear preparing condition; (c) a memory for storing the smear preparing conditions input by the input unit, each of the smear preparing conditions being in connection with a condition identification data; (d) a sample identification data obtaining means for obtaining a sample identification data; (e) an information transmitter for transmitting the sample identification data obtained by the sample identification data obtaining means to the computer; (f) an information acceptor for accepting a condition identification data corresponding to the sample identification data from the computer; and (g) a controller for retrieving a smear preparing condition corresponding to the condition identification data accepted by the information acceptor from the memory and controlling the smear preparing device so as to preparing device so as to preparing a smear based on the retrieved smear preparing condition. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a plan view showing a smear preparing system embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing sample rack embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the smear preparing apparatus embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view showing a relation between smearing levels and a smearing control condition embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a constitution view showing a driving mechanism for a spreader glass embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an explanatory view for operations of the driving mechanism for the spreader glass in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is an explanatory view for operations of the driving mechanism for the spreader glass in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing a host computer embodying features of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a view of a screen showing smearing level information embodying features of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a view of a screen showing smearing level information embodying features of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing operations of a smear preparing system embodying features of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing operations of a smear preparing system embodying features of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is an explanatory view showing a setting example of the smearing level information embodying features of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     Hereinafter, an embodiment of a smearing preparing sysytem is described with reference to the drawings.  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a plan view showing a smear preparing system.  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a system  100  comprises a loader  102 , a conveyer  103 , and unloader  111 , and a blood analyzer  106  and a smear preparing apparatus  108  are arranged along the conveyer  103 .  
         [0029]     A conveyance controller  109  for controlling the loader  102 , the conveyer  103  and the unloader  111  is provided and a host computer  107  which exchanges information or instructs among the blood analyzer  106 , the smear preparing apparatus  108  and the conveyance controller  109  or gives instructions to them is provided.  
         [0030]     A plurality of sample racks  101  are put on the loader  102 . The sample racks  101  are conveyed to a carry-in end of the conveyer  103  adjacent to the loader  102  in the direction shown by an arrow A and then get off the loader  102 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , each sample rack  101  has a plurality of sample containers  104  which contain blood samples.  
         [0031]     The sample racks  101  are conveyed by the conveyer  103  in the direction of an arrow B and reach a discharge end  110  of the conveyer  103  through the blood analyzer  106  and the smear preparing apparatus  108 . Then, the sample racks  101  are conveyed in the direction of arrow C by the unloader  111  adjacent to the discharge end  110  of the conveyer  103 .  
         [0032]     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a barcode label  200  showing identification information (ID) of the sample is attached on each sample container  104 . Windows  112  are provided on the longitudinal side of the sample rack  101  through which the barcode on the sample container  104  is read.  
         [0033]     When the sample rack  101  containing the sample containers  104  is put on the loader  102 , the system  100  is started. Then, the first sample rack  101  is moved in the direction of the arrow B by the conveyer  103  and stops at the blood analyzer  106 .  
         [0034]     Here, the barcode of the first sample container  104  is read by a barcode reader  113 . The blood analyzer  106  analyzes the sample in the sample container  104  and reports the analyzed result to the host computer  107  together with the barcode information. The blood analyzer  106  repeats the above operations until samples of all sample containers  104  are analyzed. The host computer  107  determines whether it is necessary to prepare the smear for that sample or not based on the analyzed result.  
         [0035]     Then, the sample rack  101  having only the samples whose smear no longer needs to be prepared passes through the smear preparing apparatus  108  on the conveyer  103  which is controlled by the conveyance controller  109  based on a command of the host computer and reaches the unloader  111 . The sample rack  101  containing the sample whose smear needs to be prepared is moved to reach the smear preparing apparatus  108  by the conveyer  103  which is controlled by the conveyance controller  109  based on the command of the host computer  107 . The barcode of each sample container  104  is read by the barcode reader  113  of the smear preparing apparatus  108  and transmitted to the host computer  107 . When the host computer  107  determines that the smear needs to be prepared, the smear preparing apparatus  108  takes a sample whose smear needs to be prepared from the sample container  104  and prepares a blood smear for it. Meanwhile, the sample container  104  whose smear no longer needs to be prepared is moved further in the direction of the arrow B and the next sample container  104  reaches the smear preparing apparatus  108 .  
         [0036]     Then, the sample rack  101  which passed through the smear preparing apparatus  108  on the conveyer  103  reaches the unloader  111 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the smear preparing apparatus  108 . The smear preparing apparatus  108  comprises a memory  20 , an input unit  30 , a controller  40 , a sample dispenser  70 , a spreader glass driving mechanism  50  and a barcode reader  113 .  
         [0038]     The controller  40  comprises a CPU, a ROM and a RAM, and the input unit  30  comprises a keyboard.  
         [0039]     Smearing control conditions are set so as to correspond to smearing levels (condition identification data) through the input unit  30  and stored in the memory  20 . The smearing control conditions are previously stored before the smearing is actually performed.  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is a table showing relations between the smearing levels and smearing control conditions stored in the memory  40 .  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , each of the smearing levels  1  to  10  corresponds to the smearing control conditions such as a speed (movement speed of a spreader glass), an angle (which is formed between the spreader glass and a slide glass), a fitting time (after the spreader glass comes in contact with sample dispensed on the slide glass until the spreader glass starts to move) and the like. In addition, the smearing control condition may comprise smearing starting position on the slide glass and the like.  
         [0042]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , referring to the smearing levels  1  to  5 , default values are previously set for the corresponding smearing control conditions and a range of HCT (Hematocrit value) corresponds to each of the levels. The default values are also set for the ranges of HCT. The relation between the HCT and the smearing level is used when the host computer  107  does not designate the smearing level to the controller  40  as will be described below. Referring to the smearing levels  6  to  10 , the corresponding smearing control conditions are arbitrarily set by a user. In addition, according to the smearing levels  1  to  5 , the corresponding smearing control conditions and the HCT ranges may be arbitrarily set by the user.  
         [0043]     The controller  40  reads the corresponding smearing control conditions from the memory  20  when the host computer  107  designates the smearing level, and controls the spreader glass driving mechanism  50  and the sample dispenser  70  based on the read smearing control conditions (a speed, an angle, a fitting time and a dispensed amount) to prepare the smear.  
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a view showing a schematic constitution of the spreader glass driving mechanism  50  in the smear preparing apparatus  108 . The spreader glass driving mechanism  50  comprises a back-and-forth driving mechanism  52  which moves the spreader glass  62  parallel to the surface of the slide glass  60 , a vertical driving mechanism  56  which elevates the spreader glass to and from the slide glass  60 , and an angle retaining mechanism  54  which retains the angle formed between the spreader glass  62  and the slide glass  60 . The back-and-forth driving mechanism  52  and the vertical driving mechanism  56  are provided for moving the spreader glass  62  back and forth, and up and down, and each comprises a belt-motor mechanism provided with a motor M and a belt.  
         [0045]     According to the back-and-forth driving mechanism  52 , a moving speed of the spreader glass  62  can be adjusted by a rotation speed of the belt motor.  
         [0046]     In addition, the angle retaining mechanism  54  comprises an elastic member  66  which pulls the spreader glass  62  so as to be rotated around a spindle  64 , and a stopper  68  which fixes a limit of rotation, in which after an end of the spreader glass comes in contact with the slide glass  60 , it is further lowered so that the angle formed with the slide glass  60  is changed.  
         [0047]      FIG. 6  is a view showing a state in which the angle between the spreader glass  62  and the slide glass  60  is retained large by the angle retaining mechanism  54  and  FIG. 7  is a view showing a state in which the angle is retained small. The angle formed between the spreader glass  62  and the slide glass  6  is adjusted by an expansion state of the elastic member  66 .  
         [0048]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing the host computer  107 . A controller  80  stores information set related with the smearing levels through an input unit  81 , in a smearing level information storage unit  83  and receives the analyzed result from the blood analyzer  106  ( FIG. 1 ) through an external information receiving unit  82  and stores it in an analyzed result storage unit  84  together with barcode (ID) information.  
         [0049]     The controller  80  further receives medical information and ID information of sample donors from an external terminal (not shown) through the external information receiving unit  82  and stores them in a medical information storage unit  85 . A display  86  displays items or contents set and input from the input unit  81  by the user.  
         [0050]     The controller  80  comprises a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The input unit  81  comprises a keyboard, the display  86  comprises an LCD, the external information receiving unit  82  comprises an I/O port, and each of the storage units  83  to  85  comprises a RAM.  
         [0051]      FIG. 9  shows an example of a screen displayed in the display  86  when the user sets the smearing level information from the input unit  81 .  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , any one of smearing levels  1  to  10  ( FIG. 4 ) is previously set in column (a), an upper limit value and a lower limit value of WBC (White Blood Cell) count are previously set in columns (b) and (c), an upper limit value and a lower limit value of RBC (Red Blood Cell) count are previously set in columns (d) and (e), and an abnormal message and medical information are previously set in columns (f) and (g).  
         [0053]     In addition, the abnormal message comprises “WBC abnomal”, “neutropenia”, “neutrophilia”, “lymphopenia”, “lymphocytosis”, “RBC abnormal”, “anemia”, “RBC agglutination”, “HGB defect”, “PLT abnormal” and the like which are expected to be transmitted with numeric values of analytical item to the host computer  107  from the blood analyzer  106 , and one or more of them are selected and set in the column (f).  
         [0054]     In addition, the medical information comprises personal information (age, gender, history of disease, name of in-patients ward) and diagnostic information (name of disease, disease state, examination items) of the expected sample donor (patient), one or more of them are selected and set in the column (g).  
         [0055]      FIG. 10  shows an example of a screen in which the setting is completed. In addition, a column in which the setting is not performed is left blank.  
         [0056]      FIG. 13  shows a table formed by setting the smearing level information through the user in  FIG. 9 , which is stored in the smearing level information storage unit  83 .  
         [0057]     When the host computer  107  receives the barcode information (ID) from the smear preparing apparatus  108 , searches the analyzed result and the medical information which correspond to the ID information from the storage units  84  and  85  and when there is a corresponding one in the table shown in  FIG. 13 , indicates the corresponding smearing level to the smear preparing apparatus  108 . If there is not corresponding one, the HCT value is transmitted to the smear preparing apparatus  108  from the analyzed result corresponding to the ID information.  
         [0058]     A series of operations of the smear preparing system  100  is described with reference to flowcharts in  FIGS. 11 and 12 .  
         [0059]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the medical information of the sample donor (patient) is transmitted to the host computer  107  from a database in a hospital, for example and stored therein at step S 1 .  
         [0060]     Then, the smearing level information is set by the host computer  107  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  at step S 2 . Sample containers  104  ( FIG. 2 ) having the samples are mounted on the sample rack  101  and set on the loader  102 .  
         [0061]     When the system  100  is started, the loader  102  and the conveyer  103  are driven by the conveyance controller  109  and the sample rack  101  is conveyed to the blood analyzer  106  at step S 3 . The barcode of the first sample container  104  is read and the sample is extracted from the sample container  104  and analyzed at step S 5 . The analyzed result (analyzed numeric value of each item and the abnormal message determined from the numeric value) is transmitted to the host computer  107  at step S 6 . The analyzed sample container  104  is moved by a predetermined distance (an arrangement pitch of the containers  104 ) at step S 7 . When there is any unanalyzed sample container  104  in the sample rack  101  at step S 8 , the operation returns to step S 4  and the barcode of the unanalyzed sample container  104  is read by the blood analyzer  106 . When all samples are analyzed at step S 8 , the operation proceeds to step S 9 . When the smear does not need to be generated from any of the samples in the sample rack  101  at step S 9 , the sample rack  101  is conveyed to the unloader  111 . When it is necessary toprepare the smear at step S 9 , the analyzed sample rack  101  is conveyed to the smear preparing apparatus  108  at step S 10 .  
         [0062]     Then, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the barcode of the first sample container  104  is read in the smear preparing apparatus  108  at step S 11 . The smear preparing apparatus  108  inquires of the host computer  107  about the sample of the barcode at step S 12 . When the host computer  107  determines that it is necessary to prepare the smear, it indicates the smearing level when the smearing level is designated, or indicates the HCT value when the smearing level is not designated, to the smear preparing apparatus  108 , and the controller  40  of the smear preparing apparatus  108  reads the smearing control conditions corresponding to the smearing level or the HCT value from the memory  20  at steps S 13  and S 14 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the table in which the relations between the smearing levels, the HCT values, and the smearing control conditions are previously set is stored in the memory  20  and the controller  40  reads the smearing control conditions from the memory  20  based on the table. The case where it is necessary to generate the smear is a case where the analyzed result of the sample by the blood analyzer  106  contains the abnormal message, for example. The smear is prepared according to the read smearing control conditions at step S 15 .  
         [0063]     Then, the sample container  104  whose smear is made is moved by the predetermined distance (arrangement pitch of the containers  104 ) at step S 16  and when all samples in the sample rack  101  are processed, the sample rack  101  is moved to the unloader  111  at steps S 17  and S 18 . In step S 17 , when there is any unprocessed sample container  104 , the operation returns to step S 11  and its barcode is read in the smear preparing apparatus  108 . In addition, when it is determined that it is not necessary to make the smear at step S 13 , the sample container  104  is moved by the predetermined distance at step S 16 . The case where it is not necessary to make the smear is a case where the analyzed result of the sample by the blood analyzer  106  does not contain the abnormal message, for example.  
         [0064]     When all of the sample racks are not processed yet at step S 19 , the operation proceeds to step S 3 .  
         [0065]     As the smearing control condition, at least one selected from a dispensed amount of the sample to the slide glass, an angle of the smearing member to the slide glass, a moving speed of the smearing member to the slide glass, a fitting time of the sample to the smearing member, and smearing starting position to the slide glass can be used.