For Business Use Only. Does Not Ship to Residential Addresses. For use inside an Analyzer, Sold Separately.
Quality Control VIDAS® (QCV)
Quality Control VIDAS® (QCV) is used to detect abnormal operation of pipette mechanisms which may affect the results of biological tests. It is also intended for checking that the optical system is capable of measuring high fluorescence levels. The QCV test must be run at least once a month in each position of the VIDAS® and mini VIDAS® instruments, or any time that one of the above-mentioned instrument problems is suspected.
Principle
The test corresponds to successive aspirations/dilutions of fluorescent substrate (4-Methyl-umbelliferone) solutions which are standardized and have varying levels of concentration. The aspirations are performed at different speeds to check pump aspiration capability.
The results obtained at the end of the test correspond to:
• a fluorescence ratio “Test Value 1” (TV1 for MINI VIDAS ® ) for checking that the pipette mechanism is operating correctly,
• a fluorescence reading (Reading 3 for VIDAS ® and R3 for MINI VIDAS ® ) for checking that the optical system is intact.
The values obtained must be within the acceptable range defined later in this package insert.
Description of the QCV strip:
3 | Empty well. |
4 | 400 µL of 4-Methyl-umbelliferone solution (0.6 µmol/L) in CHES buffer (20 mmol/L, pH 9.6) + 0.9 g/L sodium azide. |
5-6 | 600 µL of 4-Methyl-umbelliferone solution (0.6 µmol/L) in CHES buffer (20 mmol/L, pH 9.6) + 0.9 g/L sodium azide. |
7 | Empty well. |
8-9 | 400 µL of 4-Methyl-umbelliferone solution (26 µmol/L) in CHES buffer (20 mmol/L, pH 9.6) + 0.9 g/L sodium azide. |
10 | Optical cuvette with substrate: 300 µL of 4-Methyl-umbelliferone (0.6 µmol/L) in CHES buffer (20 mmol/L, pH 9.6) + 0.9 g/L sodium azide |
The SPR ® :
The SPR ® is used as a pipetting device and is identified by the code QCV. Only remove the required number of Solid Phase Receptacles (SPR ® ) from the pouch.
The strip:
The strip consists of 10 wells covered with a labeled, foil seal. The label comprises a bar code which mainly indicates the assay code, kit lot number and expiration date. The last well is a cuvette in which the fluorometric reading is performed. The wells in the center of the strip contain the various reagents required for the assay.
WARNING AND PRECAUTIONS
1. Caution: the strips are photosensitive and must be kept in their box to be protected from light.
2. Do not use reagents after the expiration date indicated on the label.
3. Kit reagents contain sodium azide which can react with lead or copper plumbing to form explosive metal azides. If any liquid containing sodium azide is disposed of in the plumbing system, drains should be flushed with water to avoid build-up.
4. It is recommended to wear gloves as if handling biological tests.
STORAGE
• Store the VIDAS ® QCV kit at 2 - 8°C. Do not freeze reagents. Store all unused reagents in their box at 2-8°C.
• If stored according to the recommended conditions, all components are stable until the expiration date indicated on the label. Do not use the reagents after the expiration date.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
Your instrument must be checked periodically using the VIDAS ® QCV test (see User Manual), and each time abnormal operation of the pipette mechanism or optical system is suspected.
It is essential to perform the VIDAS ® QCV test on all the positions to ensure that the whole instrument has been checked.
It is essential to archive work lists and their results according to the QCV periodicity in order to track results obtained between two QCV tests.
1. Remove necessary components from the kit and return all unused components to storage at 2-8°C.
2. Create the work list: type QCV and indicate the number of tests to be run.
3. Load the reagent strips and Solid Phase Receptacles (SPR ® ) into the instrument ( Note : no desiccant is needed in the SPR ® pouch). Be sure to close all SPR ® doors and tray covers.
4. Run the test (see User Manual). All steps will be performed automatically by the instrument. The test will be completed in approximately 20 minutes.
5. After the test is completed, print the results and analyze them as instructed later in this package insert. Once interpretation of results has been validated, dispose of the used Solid Phase Receptacles (SPR ® ) and strips into an appropriate recipient.
CONTENT OF THE KIT (60 TESTS):
| 60 QCV Strips | STR | Ready-to-use |
| 60 QCV Solid Phase Receptacles (2x30) | SPR | Ready-to-use |
1 Package insert provided in the kit or downloadable from www.biomerieux.com/techlib
