CC Definition of Terms Flashcards
amount of light that is absorbed by an analyte in a solution
Absorbance
state of decrease of basic (alkali) compounds and an accumulation of acid compounds in the blood causing a decrease in pH
Acidosis
ability of a test to obtain the known target value for a sample with minimal bias and imprecision
Accuracy
attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination
Affinity
a measured portion of a sample
Aliquot
state of excess of basic (alkali) compounds or loss of acidic compounds in the blood causing an increase in pH
Alkalosis
organic acid that is the building block for proteins
Amino acid
substance being measured
Analyte
all procedures related to the testing of a sample for an analyte
Analytical phase
a spectrophotometric method that uses an analyte as an element (e.g., Ca) that absorbs light at a specific wavelength
Atomic absorption
average affinity of a mixture of antibody to their corresponding antigen
Avidity
a laboratory grade water and other reagents are set up and tested as though it was another sample
this checks for background interference from reagents and allows for correction
Blank
a liquid that resists change in pH when an acid or base is added
consists of a weak acid/base and its conjugate
Buffer
process of using calibrators (samples with known analyte concentration) to construct a calibration curve used to quantitate analyte concentration in unknown (patient) specimens
Calibration
substance that accelerates a chemical reaction, such as an enzyme in the body
Catalyst
an ion carrying a positive charge
Cation
the electrode that gains electrons or is reduced
it is where reduction occurs in an electrochemical cell
Cathode
a process used to separate or concentrate materials suspended in a liquid medium by use of the centrifugal force
Centrifugation
amount of analyte measured in a sample expressed quantitatively
Concentration
a serum-based material with assigned target values and acceptable ranges to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of a diagnostic assay
Control
a reaction vessel used in photometric analyzers
Cuvette
a drying agent or substance capable of absorbing moisture
Desiccant
a sealed chamber where samples can be dried in the presence of a desiccant
Desiccator
the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration
Diffusion
a solvent is added to a solution to make it less concentrated
Dilution
when a chemical reaction breaks a compound into two or more parts
Dissociation
when a gas moves through an opening into a low-pressure container
Effusion
an ionic compound that dissolves in water to produce ions, which can conduct electricity
Electrolyte
protein in the body that acts as a catalyst and converts substrate to product
Enzyme
a measure of the amount of enzyme catalytic activity found in a sample
Enzyme Activity
occurs in reversible reactions when the forward rate of the reaction is the same as the reverse rate of the reaction
Equilibrium
fluid that has leaked out of a tissue or capillary, usually in response to inflammation or injury
Exudate
lipoprotein particle found in blood that is composed of a high proportion of protein with little triglyceride and cholesterol, and is associated with reduced risk of atherosclerosis
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
the most common interferents found in blood specimens
Hemolysis, Icterus, and Lipemia (HIL)
a chemical substance or compound having a physical property that changes abruptly, usually color, near the endpoint or equivalence point of a chemical reaction
Indicator
assay that relies on an antigen-antibody reaction
Immunoassay
a component found inside the cell
Intracellular
a potentiometric device used to selectively measure individual electrolytes such as Na, K and Cl.
Ion-selective electrode (ISE):
Lipoprotein particle found in blood composed of protein, with little triglyceride and high proportion of cholesterol, and is associated with increased risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
milky coloration of plasma caused by increased lipid accumulation, usually triglycerides
Lipemia
the common analytes of cholesterol and triglycerides and related compounds such as free fatty acids and lipoproteins
Lipids
the curved surface of a liquid
Meniscus
products of anabolism and catabolism; analytes created by synthesis in the body (e.g., glucose, cholesterol) or breakdown (e.g., creatinine, urea).
Metabolites
the basic measurement principle or technique that is used in an analytical system to perform a test
Method/methodology
force that moves water or another solvent across a membrane separating a solution
usually, the movement is from the lower to the higher concentration
Osmotic pressure
measuring light intensity at various wavelengths
Photometry
lipid deposits in arteries causing stenosis and leading to cardiovascular disease
Plaque
clear, yellow fluid obtained when blood is drawn into a tube containing anticoagulant
the clotting factors have not been activated and a clot is not formed
Plasma
all procedures related to specimen handling and result reporting after the analytical (testing) phase.
Postanalytical phase
all procedures related to specimen collection and handling that precede the analytical (testing) phase.
Preanalytical phase
the reproducibility of a test; the ability to obtain very similar quantitative values on repeat testing of a sample
Precision
use of scientific methods to maintain the most accurate data possible
procedures performed to check against a standard, such as blanks, duplicates, and spikes
Quality Control
the expected normal concentration range for an analyte in a patient population
Reference interval
a chemical mixture to which a sample is added to conduct a test
Reagent
the specimen after preparation for analysis (e.g., serum or plasma after centrifugation).
Sample
liquid portion of plasma that remains after clot is removed
Serum
the ability to detect small quantities of a measured component.
Sensitivity
the substance that gets dissolved in a solvent
Solute
the liquid that dissolves a solute in solution
Solvent
the type of biologic fluid in which the analyte is found (e.g., blood, urine, CSF) or the form in which the fluid is tested (e.g., serum, plasma, whole blood).
Specimen
measuring light intensity at various wavelengths
Spectrophotometry
samples for which the analyst knows the true value before running the test
can be made in-house or purchased from laboratory supply companies
often used to calibrate instruments and to evaluate the accuracy of an analysis
Standards
amount of antibody found in a specimen as a result of exposure to an antigen
Titer
analysis of therapeutic drugs or drugs of abuse
Toxicology
anchoring the calibrators of a test method to recognized reference materials and/or reference methods to ensure the accuracy results; described by a metrological traceability chain
Traceability
aqueous waste fluid produced by the kidneys; the next most common body fluid after blood is used for testing
Urine
the light-scattering property associated with suspended particles in a liquid; appears cloudy
Turbidity
handles standards and guidelines primarily related to infection control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
responsible for implementing standards in all aspects of the lab practice
Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)
responsible for implementing guidelines for employee safety in the workplace
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
responsible for the international exchange of services and goods
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
it is the standard for quality management; used to accredit labs
ISO 15189
AACC
American Association of Clinical Chemistry
PCQACL
Philippine Council for Quality Assurance in Clinical Laboratories
CAP
College of American Pathologists
BHFS
Bureau of Health Facilities and Services
PSP
Philippine Society of Pathologists
PAMET
Philippine Association of Medical Technologists
