Top 8 Blood Gas and Electrolyte Analyzers in 2024: Brands, Features, Prices

In a world flooded with different blood gas and electrolyte analyzers, picking the right one can be a bit tricky. Whether you're a doctor in a clinic or someone dealing with point-of-care testing tools, you might be wondering: How do I choose the one that fits just right? Well, that's where we come in. In this article, we're going to check out the top 8 blood gas and electrolyte analyzers of 2024. We'll break down what makes each of them tick, how well they perform, and what kind of dent they might make in your wallet. Let's dive in!

1. Abbott Labs i-STAT 1

Overview:

The i-STAT 1 by Abbott Labs is a handheld blood and electrolyte analyzer that delivers lab-quality, diagnostic results within minutes. It operates with advanced technology using i-STAT test cartridges, offering a point-of-care testing platform for healthcare professionals.

Key Features:

• Measures a wide range of parameters, including blood gases, electrolytes,
• metabolites, hematology, coagulation, cardiac markers, and more.
• Provides accurate results in approximately 2 minutes for most tests.
• Portable and lightweight design.

Testing Parameters:

Blood gases: pH, pCO2, pO2

Electrolytes: sodium(Na), potassium(K+), chloride(Cl), ionized calcium(Ca++)

Metabolites: glucose(Glu), lactate(Lac), BUN, creatinine

Hematology: hemoglobin(tHb), hematocrit(Hct)

Coagulation: PT/INR, ACT

Cardiac Markers: CKMB, troponin I

Other: magnesium, bilirubin

Considerations:

Requires an additional external printer.

Button-based interface without a touchscreen.

Average Price: $3,500

2. Seamaty SG1

Overview:

The Seamaty SG1 is an easy-to-use handheld portable blood gas and electrolyte analyzer that delivers accurate results in just 4 minutes. It is designed for point-of-care testing, offering a broad menu of tests on a single, portable platform.

Key Features:

• Measures parameters such as blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites, hematology, and other critical care biochemistry results.
• Built-in printer for on-the-go diagnostics.
• Intuitive touchscreen interface.

Testing Parameters:

Blood gases: pH, pCO2, pO2

Electrolytes: Na, K+, Cl, Ca++

Metabolites: glucose, lactate

Hematology: hematocrit (Hct)

Considerations: Testing parameters are slightly less than the i-STAT 1.

Average Price: $3,500

3. Bayer RapidPoint 400/405

Overview:

The Bayer RapidPoint 400/405 is a cartridge-based blood gas and electrolyte system designed for maintenance-free operation. It eliminates the need for gas tanks and reagent bottles, providing patient test results in just 60 seconds.

Key Features:

• Self-contained cartridge-based system.
• Onboard automatic quality control with no operator intervention.
• Benchtop design.

Testing Parameters: pH, pCO2, pO2, Na, K, iCa, Cl, Glu, and more.

Considerations :Not as lightweight and portable as handheld analyzers.

Average Price: $1,200

4. Siemens RapidLab 1265

Overview:

The Siemens RapidLab 1265 is a powerful and versatile blood gas and electrolyte analyzer designed to maximize turnaround time in clinical laboratories. It offers automatic quality control, a comprehensive test menu, and results are available in just 1 minute.

Key Features:

• Measures blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites, and CO-oximetry.
• Benchtop design.
• Automatic QC for quality assurance.

Testing Parameters:

Blood gases (pH, pCO2, pO2)

Electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-)

Metabolites (glucose, lactate, neonatal total bilirubin)

CO-oximetry (tHb, HHb, O2Hb, sO2, COHb, MetHb)

Considerations: Not as portable as handheld analyzers.

Average Price: $4,450

5. Siemens RAPIDPoint 500

Overview:

The Siemens RAPIDPoint 500 Blood Gas Systems deliver fast, accurate, and comprehensive test results in approximately 60 seconds. These analyzers are designed to meet the challenges of point-of-care settings, offering a flexible and easy-to-use solution.

Key Features:

• Measures blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites, and CO-oximetry.
• Comprehensive test menu.
• Benchtop design.

Testing Parameters:

Blood gases (pH, pCO2, pO2)

Electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-)

Metabolites (glucose, lactate)

CO-oximetry (tHb, HHb, O2Hb, sO2, COHb, MetHb)

Considerations: Higher average price compared to other analyzers.

Average Price: $5,155

6. Radiometer ABL800 Flex

Overview:

The Radiometer ABL800 Flex is a blood gas and electrolyte analyzer designed for busy clinical labs or hospital settings. It provides fast and accurate results for a comprehensive menu of critical care parameters, supporting the quick diagnosis of critically ill patients.

Key Features:

• Measures a full panel of up to 18 STAT parameters.
• Industry-proven accuracy and reliability.
• Benchtop design.

Testing Parameters:

Blood gases: pH, pCO2, pO2

Metabolites: cGlu, cLac, cCrea

Electrolytes: cCa2, cCl-, cK, cNa

Oximetry: COHb, ctBil, ctHb, FHbF, FHHb, MetHb, sO2, FO2Hb

Considerations: Not as lightweight as handheld analyzers.

Average Price: $2,000

7. Instrumentation Laboratory GEM Premier 3000

Overview:

The Instrumentation Laboratory GEM Premier 3000 is a blood gas and electrolyte analyzer with a comprehensive menu of critical care parameters. It utilizes disposable multi-use cartridges for maintenance-free operation.

Key Features:

• Disposable multi-use cartridges.
• Industry-proven accuracy and reliability.
• Benchtop design.

Testing Parameters: pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Glu, Lac, Hct.

Considerations: Cartridge replacement required every three weeks.

Average Price: $2,500

8. OPTI Medical Systems OPTI CCA-TS

Overview:

The OPTI CCA-TS by OPTI Medical Systems is a blood gas and electrolyte analyzer providing fast and accurate results for critical care parameters. It offers industry-proven accuracy and reliability with a slightly lighter design compared to others.

Key Features:

• Measures a comprehensive menu of critical care parameters.
• Industry-proven accuracy and reliability.
• Benchtop design with a lighter weight of 5.5 kg.

Testing Parameters: pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl–, Glu, Lac, tHb, sO2.

Considerations: Benchtop design.

Average Price: $1,000

Wrap up

Choosing the right blood gas and electrolyte analyzer depends on the specific needs of the healthcare setting, including portability, testing parameters, and budget considerations. Each of the top 8 blood gas and electrolyte analyzers in 2024 offers unique features, making them suitable for various clinical applications. Healthcare professionals should carefully evaluate these analyzers based on their requirements to enhance patient care and diagnostic efficiency.

Analyzer	Manufacturer	Testing Parameters	Testing Time	Key Features	Design	Average Price
i-STAT 1	Abbott Laboratories	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Cl-, Glu, Lac, Hct, tHb, PT/INR, ACT, CKMB, troponin I, and more	2 minutes	Portable, Fast results (2 minutes), Handheld, Compact	Handheld	$3,500
Seamaty SG1	Seamaty	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Cl-, Glu, Lac, Hct, Ca2+	4 minutes	Handheld, Built-in printer, Intuitive touchscreen	Handheld	$3,500
RAPID Point 400/405	Bayer	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, iCa, Cl-, Glu, and more.	60 seconds	Cartridge-based, Maintenance-free, Onboard automatic QC	Benchtop	$1,200
RapidLab 1265	Siemens	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-, Glu, Lac, Hct, tHb, HHb, O2Hb, sO2, COHb, MetHb	60 seconds	Fast results, Automatic QC, Comprehensive test menu	Benchtop	$4,450
RAPIDPoint 500	Siemens	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-, Glu, Lac, tHb, HHb, O2Hb, sO2, COHb, MetHb	60 seconds	Fast results, Comprehensive test menu	Benchtop	$5,155
ABL800 Flex	Radiometer	pH, pCO2, pO2, cGlu, cLac, cCrea, cCa2, cCl-, cK, cNa, COHb, ctBil, ctHb, FHbF, FHHb, MetHb, sO2, FO2Hb,	80-150 seconds	Fast results, Measures up to 18 STAT parameters, Industry-proven accuracy	Benchtop	$2,000
GEM Premier 3000	Instrumentation Laboratory	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Glu, Lac, Hct.	85 seconds	Disposable multi-use cartridges, Automatic sampling system, Fast results	Benchtop	$2,500
OPTI CCA-TS	OPTI Medical Systems	pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-, Glu, Lac, tHb, sO2.	2 minutes	Industry-proven accuracy, Lighter design (5.5 kg), Automatic	Benchtop	$1,000

References and sources:

[1]. Abbott. (2023). i-STAT System. Abbott. i-STAT 1 | Abbott Point of Care (globalpointofcare.abbott)

[2]. Seamaty. (n.d.). SG1. Seamaty. Seamaty SG1 portable blood gas electrolyte analyzer for Point of Care testing

[3]. Bayer. (n.d.). RAPIDPoint 400/405. Bayer. International Medical Devices Database (icij.org)

[4]. Siemens Healthineers. (n.d.). RapidLab 1265. Siemens Healthineers. RapidLab 1265 Analyzer: Fast and Accurate Blood Gas Analysis (teststips.com)

[5]. Siemens Healthineers. (n.d.). RAPIDPoint 500. Siemens Healthineers. RAPIDLab 1200 Systems - Siemens Healthineers (siemens-healthineers.com)

[6]. Radiometer. (n.d.). ABL800 Flex. Radiometer. Blood gas analyzer - ABL800 FLEX - Radiometer

[7]. Instrumentation Laboratory. (n.d.). GEM Premier 3000. Instrumentation Laboratory. Blood Gas Analyzers | Labcompare.com

[8]. Opti Medical Systems. (n.d.). OPTI CCA-TS. Opti Medical Systems. OPTI CCA and OPTI CCA-TS Analyzers - OPTI Medical Systems

[9]. Acutecaretesting.org. (2005, January). Understanding the principles behind blood gas sensor technology. Acutecaretesting.org.

[9]. Alliedmarketresearch.com (2021). Blood Gas and Electrolyte Analyzers Market Insight (2021-2030)

Recommended reading:

1. Decoding Blood Gas Analyzers(BGA): Selecting, Applications, and Top 6 Picks

2. Portable Blood Gas Analyzers: Empowering Remote Healthcare and Emergency Medical Services

3. A Cost-Effective Alternative to the Abbott i-STAT: Seamaty SG1 Blood Gas&Electrolyte Analyzer

4. Not all Blood Gas Analyzers are Suitable for POC Testing, Here's Why