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Laboratory analyzers designed to perform tests using clinical chemistry or immunoassay techniques. These analyzers can examine samples of either compounds or mixtures to determine the nature or the proportion of their constituents and/or separate them in their constituent substances by means of chemical reagents (e.g., clinical chemistry analysis) or identify and quantify specific substances using an antibody (e.g., immunoglobulin) as a reagent to detect the substance (e.g., antigen, hapten) of interest (i.e., immunoassay). Combined clinical chemistry/immunoassay analyzers are used mainly for determination of the concentration of metabolites, electrolytes, proteins, and drugs in body fluids (e.g., plasma, serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluid); they are also used for endocrine hormone testing and protein, viral, or bacterial toxin determinations.
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