06/20/2011

Ultra-high throughput and advanced testing methods

During the IFCC and EuroMedLab congress in Berlin, Beckmann Coulter launched into Europe its AU 5800, which, the firm reports, improves processing time compared to current systems and therefore meets the demands of ever faster workflow in clinical laboratories.

‘In figures, the system performs up to 2,000 photometric chemistry tests per hour for a single modus. With a four-unit configuration, labs can achieve up to 8,000 tests per hour and can gain even more efficiency by adding a dual ISE flow cell that increases maximum throughput of nearly 10,000 tests per hour.’ The system can be used as a stand-alone instrument or is designed for connectivity with the company’s automation solution, further allowing for potential integration with clinical information systems and immunoassay testing platforms.

Increased clinical accuracy in PSA testing

Another highlight was the presentation of the Prostate Health Index (phi) featured in European Hospital 2/2011. This new test is reported to improve PSA measurement by combining three automated blood tests (p2PSA, total PSA and free PSA) in one index for improved specificity in estimating prostate cancer probability prior to biopsy. When phi is installed, the analyser automatically calculates and reports the results, supporting a decision to recommend a prostate biopsy. Presented during this year’s European Congress of Urology, the first results of the clinical impact of the new tests indicate that phi significantly improves the accuracy of total and free PSA in predicting the presence of prostate cancer and in correlating cancer aggressiveness.