Clinical Pathology Flashcards
Give the three points at which variability factors will affect results
Pre-analytical
Analytical
Post-analytical
Give examples of pre-analytical factors
Patient prep, sample prep, shipping
Give examples of analytical factors
Appropriate equipment, reagents and sensitivity, specificity etc
Give examples of post-analytical factors
Results for the correct patient, interpretation, sensitivity, specificity
Describe inter individual variables
Inherent differences e.g. species, breed, age, sex
Describe intra individual variables
Differences within an animal due to external factors
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of serum for diagnostics
ADV - works better with autoanalysers - most normal values are for serum DISADV - Separation takes time and may result in haemolysis
Describe the disadvantage of using plasma
Not reccomended for some anaysis
Describe the preparation of serum and plasma for testing
- Both should be separated from blood cells ASAP
- Closed tube , patient details and date
- Freeze to store
What anticoagulants would you use for Haematology
EDTA
What anticoagulants would you use for Clinical chemistry
EDTA
What anticoagulants would you use for glucose
Fluoride Oxylate
What anticoagulants would you use for haemostasis/coagulation
Citrate
Describe the effect of haemolysis on diagnostics values and how is it avoided
- Never dispense blood through a needle
- Increased/reduced concentration of cell contents depending on cell number
Describe the effects of Lipaemia on diagnostic values
Increases or decreases values of some compounds due to presence of extra lipid fraction and turbidity caused
Increase in total lipid, triglycerides and cholesterol
Results are significanty affected
Describe precision
Repeatability/reproducibility
Describe accuracy
Measuring the right thing correctly
Define diagnostic Specificity
Ability of a technique to measure one single analyte in a complex solution
Define precision
Ability of a technique to give the same result for repeated measures of the same specimen with the same technique
Describe accuracy
Ability of a technique to give the true value of the analyte measured
Quality control
A control material which is treated and measured as a sample and allows for the assessment of validity
Define repeatability
Same process same person
Define reproducibility
Same process different person
Give the equation for the coeffieient of variation
=Standard deviation/mean
What different mechanisms may result in anuria /oliguria
Anuria - No urine produced by the kidneys (potentially kidney failure or chronic kidney disease)
Oliguria - Decreased urine production (kidney dysfuntion, kidney stones, uretal blockage)
What can you discern from high creatinine and urea levels in the blood?
GF isn’t working as it should - should be filtering these from the blood
