Lecture 2

Question 1

STAT

Answer 1

short for latin word “statum” meaning immediate
Basically, this sample now takes priority over almost anything else you are doing
Guidelines

Question 2

Urgent or ASAP

Answer 2

As soon as possible
This means they are looking for the results soon
Finish up what you are doing, then process this sample

Question 3

Routine

Answer 3

This can be processed with the next batch

Question 4

Plasma

Answer 4

liquid
cell free and treated with anticoagulants

Question 5

serum

Answer 5

liquid
after coag no clotting factors
serum = plasma - fibrinogen

Question 6

Gray

Answer 6

Potassium oxalate & sodium fluoride
preserves glucose, ethanol

Question 7

Venous blood

Answer 7

heparinized syringe or tube.

Question 8

Sample Separation

Answer 8

Cells should be separated from the serum/plasma within 2 hours
Do not refrigerate gel separator tubes before spinning
Gel cannot flow as well
Cannot centrifuge too soon either (glass/plastic tube)
Still clotting (20-30 minutes)
Clots can obstruct sample probes in your analyzers
compare labels of aliquots and originals to ensure no errors

Question 9

Centrifuge with stoppers in place help to

Answer 9

Reduce evaporation
Prevent formation of aerosols
Maintain anaerobic conditions
Important for ionized calcium and carbon dioxide

Question 10

Specimen Integrity: Hemolysis

Answer 10

Hemolysis can be:
Intravascular
Hemolytic anemia
Transfusion Reaction
Extravascular
Vigorous mixing
Difficult draw
Errors in Venipuncture
Tourniquet left on too long
Old sample

Question 11

Specimen Integrity: Lipemic Sample

Answer 11

High concentration of fats or lipids in the serum/plasma portion of the blood
Associated with some diseases
Can also be due to a fatty meal before collection (this is why cholesterol/triglyceride tests need to be collected fasting)
Interfere with tests/analyzers that use optical methods

Question 12

Specimen Integrity: Icteric Samples

Answer 12

Serum/plasma is bright yellow to dark yellow rather than the normal straw colour
Due to high bilirubin in the blood
Patient jaundiced
Different disease conditions
May interfere with some analyses measured optically at the same wavelength (400-540nm)
Some reagents may also react
May require a new sample
Bilirubin is the end-product of hemoglobin breakdown

Question 13

Sample Storage

Answer 13

Samples not being run within 4 hours should be capped and refrigerated up to 8 hours
Most samples stored at 4˚C after they have been run
In case physician requests another test or repeat needs to be done