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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting sample aspiration, clot detection, short sample, bubbles, foam, or liquid level sensing errors before service escalation.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm the analyzer is not actively processing urgent or STAT samples that could be delayed by troubleshooting.
Notify the lab that affected samples may need to be rerun, recollected, or processed on an alternate analyzer depending on laboratory policy.
Expected outcome: Patient testing is protected, and questionable results are not released without review.
Confirm the Exact Error or Sample Status
Review the analyzer message, event log, sample status, and affected rack or sample position.
Identify whether the issue is reported as:
- Sample probe aspiration error
- Clot detected
- Insufficient sample
- Liquid level detection issue
- Integrity error
- Short sample
- Bubble or foam concern
- Repeated failures on the same sample position
- Repeated failures across many samples
Expected outcome: The complaint is separated into a sample-specific issue, rack/container issue, fluidics issue, or possible probe/sensor fault.
Siemens training material for the ADVIA Centaur XPT emphasizes using the Operator Event Log and Diagnostic Tools during troubleshooting, and Siemens lists sample integrity features including clot detection, flagging, management, and short-sample detection for the XPT platform.
Stop Processing the Affected Sample Until Reviewed
Do not continue repeatedly aspirating from a sample that has been flagged for clot, insufficient volume, foam, or aspiration integrity error.
Have laboratory staff inspect the specimen according to lab policy.
Expected outcome: The analyzer is not repeatedly exposed to a potentially clotted, foamy, or low-volume specimen.
If this resolves the issue after the sample is corrected, recollected, or rerun, stop.
Check the Sample Tube, Cup, and Volume
Verify the sample container type is supported for the analyzer workflow.
Confirm the tube or cup is seated correctly in the rack and is not tilted, cracked, overfilled, underfilled, or obstructed.
Check whether the volume is adequate for the ordered tests, dead volume, and repeat testing needs.
Expected outcome: The sample container and volume are appropriate before suspecting analyzer hardware.
If the issue is caused by insufficient volume or incorrect container setup, correct the sample handling issue and stop.
Inspect for Clots, Bubbles, Foam, Gel, or Debris
Ask laboratory staff to inspect the specimen for visible clots, fibrin strands, foam, bubbles, gel interference, or debris.
Do not have Clinical Engineering manipulate patient specimens unless that is allowed by local lab policy.
Expected outcome: Common specimen-related causes are ruled in or ruled out.
If the issue follows one specimen only, the likely cause is the sample, not the analyzer. Document and stop after lab staff resolves the specimen issue.
Check Whether the Error Follows the Sample or the Analyzer Position
Have the lab rerun the same sample only if appropriate under laboratory policy.
Determine whether the problem follows:
- The same patient sample
- The same rack position
- The same sample rack
- The same area of the sample entry path
- Any sample placed on the analyzer
Expected outcome: The failure pattern helps identify whether the cause is specimen-related, rack-related, or analyzer-related.
If the issue follows one sample, stop and document the specimen-related cause.
Inspect the Sample Rack and Carrier Path Externally
Check the rack for damage, contamination, incorrect inserts, bent or worn features, or improper tube seating.
Verify the rack moves normally through the sample area without obvious obstruction.
Expected outcome: Tube positioning and rack alignment issues are ruled out before service escalation.
If a damaged rack or incorrect insert is found, remove it from use, retest with a known-good rack, and stop if resolved.
Check for Recent Maintenance or Operator Changes
Ask whether the issue began after:
- Daily maintenance
- Probe cleaning
- Fluid replacement
- Waste replacement
- Reagent loading
- Rack change
- Software restart
- Recent service activity
Expected outcome: The timing of the failure is linked to a likely external or maintenance-related cause.
Review System Fluids and Waste Conditions
Confirm required system fluids are loaded, not empty, not expired if applicable, and properly seated.
Verify waste containers are not full and waste tubing is not kinked, pinched, or disconnected externally.
Expected outcome: The analyzer has the fluid and waste conditions needed for reliable aspiration and wash operation.
If the issue clears after correcting fluids or waste, stop.
Inspect the Sample Probe Area Without Internal Disassembly
With the analyzer in a safe state and following site policy, visually inspect the sample probe area.
Look for obvious external concerns such as:
- Dried residue on or around the probe
- Visible obstruction
- Splashing or buildup
- Bent or damaged probe appearance
- Abnormal probe movement
- Probe contacting the tube, rack, or cup incorrectly
Expected outcome: Obvious probe contamination, obstruction, or alignment concerns are identified without deep disassembly.
If the probe appears bent, damaged, or misaligned, remove the analyzer from service and escalate for Siemens-qualified service.
Run the Appropriate Onboard Maintenance or Diagnostic Tools
Use the analyzer’s operator-accessible event log, online help, maintenance screens, and diagnostic tools as permitted by local policy.
Do not perform restricted service procedures unless authorized and trained.
Expected outcome: The analyzer either passes operator-level checks or provides a repeatable diagnostic failure that supports escalation.
If operator-level priming, probe cleaning, or permitted maintenance resolves the issue, document the action and return the analyzer to service only after lab verification.
Check for Repeated Errors Across Multiple Samples
If clot, aspiration, or liquid level errors occur across multiple properly prepared samples, multiple racks, and known-good containers, suspect an analyzer-side problem.
Possible analyzer-side concerns may include probe contamination, probe damage, fluidics leak, pressure sensing issue, tubing issue, or liquid level detection fault.
Expected outcome: The problem is no longer treated as an isolated specimen issue.
Verify System Status Before Returning to Service
After any corrective action, have the lab process appropriate QC, controls, or verification samples according to laboratory policy.
Confirm no new aspiration, clot, liquid level, or integrity errors occur.
Expected outcome: The analyzer is not returned to patient testing until function and result integrity are verified.
If QC or verification fails, keep the analyzer out of service and escalate.
If the Problem Persists
If the analyzer continues to report sample probe aspiration, clot, integrity, or liquid level detection errors after sample condition, rack condition, container type, volume, fluids, waste, and operator-level maintenance have been checked, the likely cause is internal to the sample probe, fluidics, pressure sensing, liquid level detection, or related mechanical path.
The analyzer should be:
- Removed from service or restricted from patient testing
- Labeled Out of Service according to site policy
- Escalated to Siemens service or qualified analyzer support
- Held until QC and laboratory verification are acceptable
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Repeated aspiration errors can affect sample integrity, analyzer performance, and patient result reliability.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot aspiration or clot errors while urgent patient testing depends on the affected analyzer. Move STAT testing to another validated analyzer or approved downtime workflow first. Questionable samples and affected results should be handled by laboratory policy before release.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Lab reported the Siemens ADVIA Centaur XP / XPT repeatedly displayed sample probe aspiration and clot detection errors during patient sample processing."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Inspection found the error followed one low-volume, foamy specimen and did not repeat with a known-good rack and acceptable sample container."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Affected sample was referred back to laboratory staff for specimen handling per lab policy; analyzer was verified with acceptable QC and returned to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact error code or event log message
- Sample ID or rack position affected
- Whether the issue followed one sample or multiple samples
- Tube, cup, or rack type used
- Sample volume condition
- Evidence of clot, foam, bubbles, gel, or debris
- Fluid and waste status
- Probe area condition
- Alarm behavior
- Accessories swapped
- Power behavior
- Environmental factors
- Indicator lights
- Maintenance or diagnostic actions attempted
- QC or verification result after troubleshooting
- Final analyzer status
Final Thought
Sample probe aspiration and liquid level errors should be approached carefully because they can affect specimen handling and result reliability. Start with the sample, rack, container, fluids, and visible probe area before assuming analyzer failure. If errors repeat across acceptable samples after external checks, escalation is the safest and most appropriate action.
That is successful troubleshooting.