Diagnostic Techniques Flashcards
List the reasons for requesting laboratory investigations.
Diagnosis of Disease: To confirm or exclude conditions, identify infections, or screen for diseases (e.g., blood tests for infections, cholesterol for heart disease).
Monitoring Disease and Treatment: To assess disease progression, treatment efficacy, or medication levels (e.g., liver function tests, therapeutic drug monitoring).
Assess Organ Function: To evaluate the health of organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart (e.g., kidney function tests, cardiac enzyme levels).
Risk Assessment and Screening: To evaluate risk factors or detect diseases early (e.g., lipid profile for cardiovascular risk, glucose for diabetes).
Nutritional Assessment: To detect deficiencies in vitamins or minerals (e.g., iron studies, vitamin D levels).
Coagulation Studies: To assess bleeding or clotting disorders and monitor anticoagulation therapy (e.g., INR, D-dimer).
Clarify Symptoms or Abnormal Findings: To investigate unexplained symptoms or abnormal physical exam results (e.g., CBC for infection, CRP for inflammation).
Preoperative Assessment: To assess a patient’s suitability for surgery or anesthesia (e.g., blood typing, renal function tests).
Forensic Purposes: To assist in toxicology or DNA analysis in legal cases (e.g., drug screening, paternity testing).
Postmortem Analysis: To determine the cause of death in unexplained cases (e.g., toxicology tests).
List some individual laboratory medicine specialties.
Clinical Chemistry: Focuses on the analysis of bodily fluids (e.g., blood, urine) to measure chemical components like electrolytes, enzymes, hormones, and metabolites (e.g., glucose, cholesterol).
Hematology: Concerned with the study of blood, blood-forming organs, and blood diseases, including testing for anemia, leukemias, clotting disorders, and other blood-related conditions.
Microbiology: Involves the detection and identification of microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) that cause infections, along with antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
Immunology: Focuses on the immune system, testing for antibodies, antigens, and immune responses to infections, autoimmune diseases, and allergies.
Transfusion Medicine: Deals with the safe collection, storage, and transfusion of blood and blood products, as well as compatibility testing and management of transfusion reactions.
Clinical Pathology: Encompasses the study of disease through laboratory analysis of tissues, fluids, and cells, including cytopathology (cellular changes) and histopathology (tissue examination).
Molecular Pathology: Uses molecular biology techniques (e.g., PCR, gene sequencing) to study diseases at the genetic and molecular levels, including cancer diagnostics and genetic testing.
Toxicology: Focuses on the detection and measurement of toxins, drugs, and poisons in bodily fluids, often used in overdose or poisoning cases.
Genetics: Specializes in the analysis of genetic material to diagnose genetic disorders, perform genetic screening, and provide counseling on hereditary diseases.
Andrology: A branch of laboratory medicine focused on male reproductive health, including semen analysis and testing for infertility.
Endocrinology: Involves the study of hormone-related diseases, measuring hormone levels to assess conditions like thyroid disorders, diabetes, and adrenal dysfunction.
Microbiome and Infectious Disease Diagnostics: Focuses on analyzing microbial communities in the body (e.g., gut microbiome) and diagnosing infections with advanced molecular techniques.
Describe some examples of use of laboratory tests in the patient pathway.
Laboratory tests are used throughout the patient pathway to:
Screen for diseases (e.g., cholesterol, glucose tests).
Diagnose conditions (e.g., blood cultures, PCR for infections).
Monitor disease progression and treatment response (e.g., liver function tests, blood glucose).
Guide follow-up care (e.g., HbA1c, PSA).
Assist in surgical planning (e.g., CBC, coagulation studies).
Provide rapid diagnostics in emergencies (e.g., troponins for heart attack).
Determine cause of death in forensic cases (e.g., toxicology, DNA).
Explain why it is important to adhere to the laboratory sample acceptance policy.
Accuracy: Proper handling prevents compromised samples, which could lead to false results.
Contamination Prevention: Ensures samples are free from cross-contamination, ensuring reliable results.
Timeliness: Proper timing ensures tests reflect the patient’s true condition.
Patient Safety: Correct sample collection avoids misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatments.
Error Reduction: Minimizes pre-analytical errors that can affect results.
Compliance: Adherence to standards helps avoid regulatory issues and ensures laboratory accreditation.
Cost-Effectiveness: Prevents the need for repeat testing, saving time and money.
Clear Documentation: Ensures traceability and accountability in test results.
Trust: Builds confidence in laboratory findings, supporting better clinical decisions.
Standardization: Promotes consistent and reliable practices across tests.
