Module 1: Introduction to Clinical Chemistry Flashcards
Enables analysis which is not
otherwise possible, and enables it to be made faster, more accurately, on smaller
quantities, or more cheaply than by alternative methods.
Instrumentation
consists of efforts to establish and maintain a
climate of continued improvements in the laboratory in order to deliver high-quality services
to health care
Quality management
include appropriate facilities and equipment, adequate training,
PPE, chemical management, SOPs, waste handling, signage, proper laboratory practices and safe working conditions.
Laboratory safety
includes patient preparation,
specimen considerations and variables
Specimen collection and processing
Agreement between your test result value and the true value
Accuracy
The division of a sample into at least two smaller size vials.
Aliquot
The chemical substance being measured in an assay, usually contained in blood or other body fluids.
Analyte
A diagnostic test to measure the concentration or level of a particular analyte.
Assay
A liquid solution containing a combination of chemicals, which control and maintain the pH of any other solution it is added to.
Buffer
A material, generally serum based with an accurately assigned analytical value, used to calibrate diagnostic assays.
Calibrator
A serum based material with assigned target values and acceptable ranges to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of a diagnostic assay.
Control
It is used to describe the highest concentration, at which a reaction is still measurable.
Linearity
refers to a material that has been freeze-dried
Lyophilised
Any biochemical compound which plays a key role in the metabolism of the body.
Metabolite
The clear amber liquid which is derived from whole blood that has been collected in the presence of an anticoagulant
Plasma
Refers to the reproducibility of test results and is a measure of how disperse the values are
Precision
The process of detecting errors in any manufacturing or operational system.
Quality Control
A component of a kit used to carry out a chemical reaction to determine levels of different analytes
Reagent
The addition of water to a freeze-dried reagent or control material to return it to its former condition.
Reconstitution
The clear amber liquid that is derived from clotted blood by centrifuging and removing the red blood cells.
Serum
An aqueous solution containing a known level or concentration of analyte that will not change and can be used to calculate diagnostic results.
Standard
Earliest recorded accounts of observations on urine specimens
400 B.C.
made diagnoses by listening to internal body sounds and palpating areas of the body
physicians in Egypt and Mesopotamia
Father of Medicine who began attributing disease to abnormalities in the body fluids.
Hippocrates (Ancient Greece 300 BC)
Hippocrates’ methods of diagnosis
tasting urine, listening to lungs, and observing appearance
described blood in the urine
Ephesus (50 A.D.)
blood in the urine
hematuria
three development in 1600s
invention of microscope, description of blood circulation, protein precipitation in urine through heat and acid
two developments in 1700s
sugar in urine for diabetic patients, yeast used in sugar test
laboratory medicine became more accepted
1850s-1890s
required hospitals to have
an adequately equipped and staffed laboratory
American College of Surgeons in 1918
almost half of US hospitals had laboratories
1920s
developed several methods for determining urine analytes in the 1920s
Otto Folin
renal function associated with ____, ____ and ____
uric acid, NPN, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
reagent developed in 1920s for protein determination which is still used today
FolinCiocalteau
In the 1920s, clinical
methods for measuring ___ and ____ in serum were introduced
phosphorus and magnesium
six analytes whose methods for clinical determinations were developed in the 1930s
alkaline phosphatase,
acid phosphatase, serum lipase, serum and urine amylase, and blood ammonia
first used for measuring protein in urine in the 1930s
refractometer
company that played a large part in laboratory science by introducing
the first pH meter to measure the acidity and alkalinity of fluids
Beckman Instruments
two development in 1940s
photoelectric colorimeters and blood vacuum collection tubes
used to to read color
reactions of chemistry analyses
photoelectric colorimeters
two organization important to clinical chemistry founded in the 1940s
College of American Pathologists (CAP) and American Association of Clinical Chemistry
(AACC)
made quality control easier in 1950
Levey and Jennings Shewhart QC
chart
three developments in the late 1950s
method to measure blood triglycerides, AutoAnalyzer by Technicon Corporation, flame photometry
introduced the atomic
absorption spectrophotometer for determination of calcium and magnesium
Perkin-Elmer
late 1950s
laser, mechanical pipetter, Auto Dilutor, disposable needle and syringe, disk storage (IBM), random-access analyzer (DuPont)
provides an actual number that represents the amount of a substance present in the body
Quantitative tests
indicates the presence or absence of specific chemicals
Qualitative tests
tests that are frequently ordered, such as a single test for glucose or a chemistry
profile
routine tests
group of tests performed simultaneously on a patient specimen to provide an assessment of the patient’s general condition
routine chemistry profile/ complete metabolic profile
Tests that are ordered less frequently and might be performed only on certain days even in larger laboratories
special tests
principal uses of biochemical investigations
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Monitoring
Screening
composition of Borosilicate glass
Silica + boron trioxide
Most common type of glass
Borosilicate glass
Thermal property of Borosilicate glass
low coefficient of thermal expansion, can withstand higher temperature gradients and sudden temperature changes
maximum temperature at which a glass can be used without it being damaged
Strain point
strain point of Borosilicate glass
450 to 500 degrees celsius
Optical property of Borosilicate glass
clear and colorless
Chemical property of borosilicate glass
strong chemical resistance (higher than metals)
chemicals that Borosilicate glass is not resistant to
hydrofluoric acid, very hot phosphoric acid, alkaline solutions
Borosilicate is highly resistant to
water, neutral and acid solutions, concentrated acids and chlorine, bromine, iodine and organic matters
composition of Alumina-silicate glass
Aluminum oxide + high silica content
has greater chemical stability
and higher maximum operating temperature than borosilicate glass
Alumina-silicate glass
use of Alumina-silicate glass
high precision analytical work
properties of Alumina-silicate glass is comparable to
fused quartz
Alumina-silicate glass is strengthened ____ rather than ___
chemically, thermally
composition of Vycor glass
96% silica (similar to fused quartz)
strain point of vycor glass
900 degrees celsius continuously, 1200 Intermittently
vycor glass is resistant to
drastic heat shock and extreme chemical treatments
Most inexpensive glass with excellent chemical and physical properties
soda-lime glass
most common use of soda-lime glass in the clinical lab
pipettes
glassware that protects light sensitive chemical compounds from alteration
Low actinic glass
glassware for one time use only
Disposable glassware
three advantages of plastic ware
less expensive, unbreakable, preferred for alkali solutions
four disadvantages of plastic ware
surface constituents can leach into solution, permeable to water vapor, can evaporate, can absorb dyes, stains and proteins
____ cannot be used for plasticware
high performance liquid chromatography
properties of polystyrene
70 C temp limit, clear, non autoclavable, rigid
uses of polystyrene
Disposable plastic ware
Properties of Conventional/ High density Polyethylene
80 C, translucent, non autoclavable, flexible
used for all purposes like reagent bottles, droppers
Polyethylene
properties of Linear/ Low Density Polyethylene
130 C, opaque, autoclavable
with caution, rigid
most commonly used plastic ware in the lab
Polypropylene
properties of polypropylene
135 C, translucent, autoclavable, rigid
uses of polypropylene
Screw-cap closure bottles
properties of Tygon
95 C, translucent, autoclavable, flexible
use for tygon
tubings
properties of Teflon (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene/ Polytetrafluoroethylene)
205 C, Clear to translucent, autoclavable, flexible but easily scratched/warped
used for stopcocks, wash bottles, and beakers for
cryogenic experiments
Teflon
properties of polycarbonate
135 C, very clear and shatter proof, autoclavable, rigid (sterilizing reduces mechanical strength)
used for all purposes like large reagent containers, graduated cylinders and centrifuge tubes
Polycarbonate
properties of Polyvinyl Chloride
70 C, clear, non autoclavable, rigid
used to make bottles
polyvinyl chloride