European multicentre evaluation of the Du Pont Dimension 380 under the auspices of the European Group for the Evaluation of Analytical Systems in Laboratory Medicine (EGE-Lab).

The Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Dimension 380 manufactured by Du Pont de Nemours was tested in a multicentre evaluation according to the guide-lines of the European Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (ECCLS) and in part to the protocol of the Société Française de Biologie Clinique (SFBC). The instrument and the reagents were evaluated as a system, since both reagents and reagent cartridges are specifically designed for the instrument. Fourteen analytes including electrolytes, substrates and enzymes were tested. The evaluators summarized their experience as follows: 1. All parameters tested yield results comparable to established procedures. 2. Very good performance of the ion-selective-electrode unit. 3. The imprecision data of the system are, for most parameters, between 1 and 4% CV and thus equal to or better than those of the instruments compared. 4. No reagent or sample carry-over was detected after a minor modification of the instrument. 5. The linearity of Dimension test methods in general covers the range stated by the manufacturer. 6. Very good stability of the calibration curves (up to 2 months). 7. Good practicability of the whole system, including handling of reagents and a very user-friendly software.