Mindray BS-240Vet — Cortex Connection Guide

1. Prerequisites

• Confirm the device is on the same local network as the Cortex daemon
• Note your Cortex daemon address (example: 192.168.1.118:2575)
• Windows users: TCP port 2575 must be open in Windows Defender Firewall
• The BS-240Vet supports Bidirectional Host Query — Cortex can push orders to the device and receive results automatically

2. Device Settings

From the Mindray BS-240Vet main screen:

1. Enter the Setup menu
2. Select Communication → LIS Settings
3. Enter the following values:
   • Server Address: 192.168.1.118 (your Cortex daemon IP)
   • Server Port: 2575
   • Protocol: HL7 v2.5
   • Auto Send: ON
4. Enable Bidirectional Host Query — this allows the BS-240Vet to query Cortex for pending orders when a sample is loaded
5. Press Save → Restart the device

3. Test Transmission

1. From the main screen, load a QC (quality control) sample for a standard chemistry panel (e.g., glucose + creatinine)
2. Press Run
3. After results appear → press Send to LIS
4. Confirm the chemistry panel results were captured in the Cortex daemon log
5. Optional — test bidirectional: create an order in Cortex Studio first, load the sample, and verify the device retrieves the order automatically

4. Troubleshooting

"Connection failed" error

Open TCP port 2575 in Windows Defender Firewall:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Cortex 2575" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=2575

Verify the device IP address is on the same subnet as the Cortex daemon.

Bidirectional query not working

• Confirm Bidirectional Host Query is enabled (Step 4 above)
• Verify the order exists in Cortex Studio with the correct sample ID
• Check that the device firmware supports Host Query (check firmware version in device About screen)

"No response" error

• Verify the Cortex daemon service is running
• Check daemon logs: cortex tail

Chemistry results missing specific analytes

• Ensure the relevant assay reagents are loaded and calibrated
• Check the test profile configuration in the device's reagent setup

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does bidirectional mode work? A: Yes. The BS-240Vet supports Bidirectional Host Query — when a sample is loaded, the device queries Cortex for pending orders using the sample ID.

Q: What chemistry panels are supported? A: The BS-240Vet supports a broad chemistry panel including liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), renal function (BUN, creatinine), glucose, lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides), proteins (total protein, albumin), and electrolytes. All standard OBX segments are parsed by Cortex.

Q: Can I connect a BC hematology and BS chemistry analyzer at the same time? A: Yes. Both connect on port 2575; Cortex identifies each device by source IP and SendingApp field in the HL7 message.

Q: What if the DHCP IP changes? A: No issue as long as the Cortex daemon local IP stays the same. If the daemon IP changes, repeat Step 2.