An assessment of the performance of the SMA 12/micro autoanalyser in clinical use.

The performance of the SMA 12/micro autoanalyser in clinical use in a children's hospital is described. Details of the precision and accuracy over a period of 134 operating days are given, and some of the factors which influence the results are discussed. The slow operating speed and analytical difficulties on the sodium, potassium, and cholesterol channels made the analyser unsuitable for routine use in this laboratory.