Pathology: General clinical Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is clinical pathology?
using haematology, clinical biochemistry and cytology for care of alive patients
What is anatomic pathology?
Surgical pathology: Taking biopsies
Necroscopy
What are the roles of a clinical pathologist?
Ensuring lab quality: Pre analytical, during analysis and post analytical
How do clinical pathologist ensure pre-analytical integrity?
Patient prep
Sample prep eg. choice of tube
Shipping
How do clinical pathologists ensure integrity during and after analysis?
During: Appropriate segments, analytical sensitivity/ specificity /precision
Post: Results to the right patient, Appropriate interpretation
What can cause variability in a test result?
- Biological: Inter-individual, Intra-individual
2. Analytical: Pre-instrumental, Instrumental, Post-instrumental
What are the Inter-individual factors in test variability?
Species: a cat’s PCV < A dogs PCV
Breeds: Akita dogs have a lower MCV
Age: Growing dogs have lower PCV & total protein concentration than adult dogs
Sex: Males usually have a higher PCV
What are the Intra-individual factors in test variability?
Transient differences in the same animal due to fasting/ diet/ excitement/ reproductive status /drugs
Method of blood sampling
What is the effect of eating a meal on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Increased blood glucose, lipids, bile acids in mono gastric animals
What is the effect of the adrenergic response (excitement) on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Increased PCV in horses
Increased glucose and lymphocytes in cats
What is the effect of lactation on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Decreased serum calcium
What is the effect of glucocorticoids on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Increased ALP and ALT in dogs
Increased WBC and blood glucose
What is the effect of xylazine on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Increased blood glucose
What is the effect of anaesthesia on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Decreased PCV
What is the effect of fluid therapy on intra-individual variability of blood testing?
Decreased PCV and total protein
What are the pre-instrumental factors that can cause variability?
Poor blood sampling
Haemolysed, lipaemic or icteric samples
Wrong anticoagulant or ratio
Poor transportation or storage
What are the disadvantages of using serum samples over blood?
Separation takes time for clot to form unless a serum accelerator is used
Separation is maybe more likely to result in haemolytic
Where would you not use serum?
bilirubin, bile acids, haptoglobin, protein electrophorisis
How should plasma/serum be stored/transported?
Not with the RBC’s as they can leak substances
Use a separator tube
What tube do we use for haematology?
EDTA
What tube do we use for clinical biochemistry?
Serum or Li-heparin (plasma) or EDTA (plasma)
What tube do we use for glucose analysis?
Fluoride-oxalate
What tube do we use for coagulation?
Citrate
How can we validate machines before use?
Using PASS:
Precision, Accuracy, Specificity and Sensitivity
Use a known composition control material
