A modular analyzer system for double antibody radioimmunoassays.

The increasing number of determinations performed by radioimmunoassays necessitates rationalization of the procedures. An analyzer system has been developed in order to fully mechanize double antibody radioimmunoassays, which is essentially composed out of four independently working modules. The samples, in microliter vials, are carried in sample chains of up to 650 links. The first pipetting step is performed by syringes with displacement pistons. Additional reagents are rapidly added by an electronically controlled Hamilton repeating dispenser, which makes shaking procedures for mixing unnecessary. The bound/free separation is achieved discontinuously by use of Nuclepore-filters, which are carried in 3 inches distance (76 mm) by a 35 mm dark leader film. After covering the radioactive filter positions with an adhesive plastic foil from both sides, the film spool is directly inserted into a specially constructed gamma-counter. The results of the evaluation of the efficiency and of the precision of each module are presented in this paper.