Evaluation of the new “C” parallel analyser

Introduction The C Parallel Analyser (Kone Oy, Instrument Division, Espoo, Finland) is a compact, new clinical analyser for photometric equilibrium and kinetic analyses. The instrument consists of a 24-channel parallel photometer, a control console with numeric display, an alphanumeric printer and a microcomputer which controls the analyser and takes care of automatic blanking and calibration. Reaction mixtures are prepared off line in additional system modules, Measurements are made in blocks of 24 indiidually thermostated cuvettes which are manually introduced into the analyser measurement head. The same principle of parallel handling of the samples simultaneously has been used in a bigger parallel analyser, the System Olli 3000 ]. The instrument has been evaluated for the clinical assay of seven tests which were selected to represent different types of chemical determinations [2]. The tests evaluated and their respective methods were as follows: alkaline phosphatase (ALP, EC 3.1.3.1 kinetic), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, EC 2.6.1.1; kinetic), alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1 chromogenic), albumin (equilibrium), cholesterol (enzymatic equilibrium), creatinine (nonenzymatic kinetic) and triglycerides (enzymatic kinetic). The results indicate that the analyser is fast and versatile, and gives precise results comparable with those obtained by methods routinely used in the authors’ laboratory.