Sanguin International Limited

Medusa 2000 - Microplate and sample Management

Please note: This product is no longer available in EU and US

Overview of the Product

Designed by people with extensive laboratory experience in microplate technology, Sanguin Medusa 2000 offers a practical approach to both the immediate requirement of producing results from microplate assays, to the more in depth considerations of data storage, validation and export of data.

Cleared for use by the US FDA in both clinical and blood bank applications, Medusa 2000 is installed and used World-wide. It operates from the most basic single PC and plate reader combination through to entire networks with interfaces to multiple plate processors and host computers. Operation through its simple Menu system remains the same, no matter how complex the assay or hardware configuration.

Medusa 2000 although still available, is being superceded by Sanguin Aurora.

Medusa 2000 is a modular microplate based software system which allows users to match format and function exactly to their own requirements. The software itself consists of a basic system, attached to which are the application modules. Any combination of modules may be used dependent on the laboratory’s immediate needs. Extra modules can be added at a later stage by a simple "dongle" security key upgrade with no additional installation steps and no compromise of existing results or program function.

Sanguin Medusa 2000 - Basic system

The base system provides the central framework from which all the applications are performed. Using a simple and logical menu system it provides all of following functions :

Reader Interfaces - Medusa 2000 contains interfaces for a wide variety of commonly used microplate readers. These will allow the software to take full computer control of the reader including filter selection, single/dual wavelength selection, single point or scanning reading (where applicable) and kinetics based read processes.

Result Storage & Search/Edit Facility. - The database within Medusa 2000 allows for the long-term storage of sample and plate data. Final results can be recalled based on sample number, plate number or date, and can be viewed on screen or printed in a variety of formats including ASCII file for data transfer. Operators may edit final results (via password control), but an extensive Audit Trail facility shows the full sample history. This allows the user to track all aspects of a sample’s progress through the system, identify who processed the work, recall full plate details, trace who may have edited a result (recalling both the original and new results) and showing when the edit was performed.

The database itself is designed to prevent results being changed from external sources.

Validation - Prior to issuing final reports, results can be monitored and tested for validity. This may be as simple as producing a list of all samples requiring re-testing based on the presence of high/low OD values or pipetting errors. Alternatively it may be a complex check for "initial reactive" samples, using a user defined test pattern to determine if the sample is a true "repeat reactive" or a potential false positive. All under the user's own control.

Report Module - Medusa 2000 contains a very flexible and powerful report generation system. The user can design their own extensive range of printouts or export files, allowing results from a number of different assays to be presented on a single report if required. Sensitive results such as reactive samples can also be automatically filtered out of the report prior to printing, or additional advisory text can be automatically inserted.

The report module even allows users to define their own printer drivers, allowing reports to be printed in an infinite variety of formats, but without requiring direct programmer support or expensive additional driver modules.

Statistics - The Statistics module allows the user to monitor trends in control material, cut-off values or sample values based on a Levey-Jennings plot. Alternatively, comprehensive export files can be created to allow data to be analysed via a spreadsheet or external analysis source.

Networking - Medusa 2000 is capable of operation on either a stand alone PC, "peer to peer" network, or a full server based network, and requires no specialised re-configuration. It contains full network locking to allow multiple user access across a network.

Password Control - Medusa 2000 is controlled by its own user definable password system. Each new user can be assigned their own password and individual "menu by menu" access rights, thus protecting sensitive data and controlling access to the program.

Translation - All text shown within the software can be translated via a built-in menu system into the local language.

Help Screens - Full on-line help facilities are available throughout the software by simply by pressing the F10 key.

Application Modules

The basic Medusa 2000 system as described above controls the following modules. The user simply selects the module combination required for their workload and hardware. Additional modules can be purchased at any point without the having to change or re-install the software.

ELISA Module - The ELISA module is designed for qualitative screening style assays with a final result based on a calculated cut-off. The powerful assay design system allows the user to match the format of the plate to their own requirements and use multiple combinations of assay validation steps to ensure each plate has performed to its exact kit requirements.

Quantitative Assay Module - The Quantitative assay module allows the user to plot a standard curve from the plate data and then use this to calculate the concentration of the analyte against it. The standard library of 18 curve fit routines includes linear regression, smooth spline, 4 parameter logistic, parabola, and simple point-to-point functions. Results can be calculated based on individual sample wells, or on wells covering a range of dilutions.

Kinetics Module - In some countries assays such as alanine amino-transferase (ALT) testing are mandatory for Donor blood testing, and lend themselves well to microplate based kinetics techniques. The Medusa 2000 kinetics module allows the software to take a number of readings over a timed period, all defined by the user, without the requirement of a dedicated kinetics card or software within the plate reader. Final results can then be based on the calculation of a "VMAX" value (maximum delta OD) for each well, or can be manipulated further by extrapolation against a standard curve.

Blood Grouping Module - Sanguin have been involved in supplying and developing modules for microplate blood group determination since 1985 and are probably the leaders in this technology. Used in conjunction with scanning based microplate readers, the algorithm used within the blood grouping module will determine if the cells have formed an agglutination. From the combination of reactions, a user defined blood group can be produced. The module will allow standard liquid phase and the latest solid phase based techniques to be used.

Haemagglutination Module - The haemagglutination module can be used for almost any agglutination based assay that is conducted in a microplate format. When used in conjunction with scanning based microplate readers, the proprietary algorithm within the haemagglutination module can be used to determine if the particles in the plate have formed a button of cells or an even matt of cells and hence determine the final reaction.

Import/Export Module - The import/export module allows Medusa 2000 to communicate directly with additional instruments and external (host) computer systems. This includes interfacing to a range of Sample Preparation Devices to allow full transfer of bar-coded sample numbers and plate pipetting information, giving positive sample identification and eliminating all manual transcription errors. In addition, results can be imported from other devices and held within Medusa 2000’s database to be included in final reports, or downloaded in a single operation to the host mainframe. Transfer of results to a host computer can be via a simple file transfer or through direct serial communication. This uses Medusa 2000’s own on-board script language to allow the communication protocol to be configured to include computer handshaking, result echoing etc. A variety of check sum calculations are also built into the module.

External interpretative instruments supported by Medusa 2000 include:

Abbott PPC, FPC, Commander, Aeroset and Prism
Beckman CZE
Bio-Tek Omni
Coulter counters
Hamilton Fame
Hitachi 717
Olympus Blood Grouping instruments
Organon Teknika MPP
Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Summit Processor, Texas
Ortho Vitros ECi analyser

Patient Demographics (PID) Module - The Patient Demographic (PID) module allows patient or donor details to be assigned to a sample number. All displays used for PID can be configured to match an original paper based request system, and up to 15 definable fields of data can be entered for each donor/patient. Details do not have to be entered for each sample and can be entered retrospectively. Alternatively PID data can be automatically uploaded into Medusa 2000 from a mainframe through a simple file transfer.

External ELISA Processors - High throughput laboratories may process some of their assays using the new generation of ELISA based processors. Interface options exist within Medusa 2000 for a variety of processors including the Dynatech DIAS, Hamilton FAME, Bio-Tek OMNI, Organon Teknika MPP and Rosys PLATO. If working on a Network, a single Medusa 2000 installation can link to multiple processors, collating data, and producing and validating end results. Using the software’s monitor mode, this can be activated as a totally "hands free" operation, leaving the user to maintain the processors.

Non Infectious Disease Screening

Although Medusa 2000 has been primarily used in infectious disease screening and blood transfusion it also has applications in:

Abbatoirs
Agriculture
Armed Forces
Drugs of Abuse Screening and Identification
Enviromental Monitoring
Fishing Industry
Food Science
Food Processing
Food Testing
Insurance screening
Pharmaceutical Testing
Public Health Laboratories
Retail Food Quality Control
Research
Veterinary Medicine