Lab Best Practice

Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) Smear and Culture Testing

It is a foundational principle for any laboratory test procedure that the value of the test heavily relies on using specimens that have been properly collected, labelled, handled or stored prior to....

The Importance of Trephine Biopsy and Aspirate in Bone Marrow Analysis

The morphologic analysis of bone marrow specimen is an essential part of comprehensive evaluation in the diagnosis of hematologic and certain non-hematologic disorders.

Coronavirus

The SARS-CoV-2 Variant and its Impact on Diagnostic Testing

The new SARS-CoV-2 mutant (VOC 202012/01) has become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom (UK) with the first known case in the United States identified on December 29, 2020.

Red blood cell antigen phenotyping and genotyping

The main purpose of testing prior to transfusion is to provide the most compatible blood to the patient in order to minimize the risk of hemolytic transfusion reactions.

CAP Inspections and the importance of informatics…

The College of American Pathology (CAP) systematically reviews and accredits laboratories across the U.S. to ensure these laboratories meet certain safety and patient care criteria.

Rapid Combined Flu A/B and SARS-CoV-2 RNA Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing for Emergency and Ambulatory Care Settings

Nam K. Tran, PhD1; Larissa May, MD2; Allen Hall, MD3; Tom Bullen, MD3; Sarah Waldman, MD4; John Rodrigo, MD1; Julia Loegering, BS1; Shelley Gillott, CLS1; Stacy Yee, CLS1; Taylor Howa

GI biopsies with lymphoid aggregates: What does this mean?

Ananya Datta Mitra MD Hooman H. Rashidi MD Karen Matsukuma MD, PhD Background: Because the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a site of continuous challenge by foreign antigens, it contains a well-develop

Introduction to Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and the Clinical Laboratory's Role

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is the practice of measuring drug concentrations in order to tailor dosages and maintain therapeutic levels in a patient’s bloodstream.

Coronavirus

Challenges and Implications of False Negative COVID-19 Testing

As communities across the U.S. struggle to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have focused on the lack of widespread testing as a major roadblock to reopening the country.

Infectious Diseases

Specimen Collection Practices for Microbiologic Culture

The culturing of microorganisms remains the mainstay of laboratory testing for infectious disease, even in an age of rapid and more cost-effective molecular testing.

Coronavirus

Review of COVID-19 Testing Methods

The pandemic has created significant interest in COVID-19 related laboratory testing. Given the rapidly evolving testing landscape, it's become challenging to keep up with the numerous available assays.

Coronavirus

Pathology Residency in the Era of Shelter-in-Place

COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic has forced everyone to rethink when person-to-person interactions are required.

Vitreous fluid for primary intraocular lymphoma

Primary intraocular lymphomas (PIOLs) are a subset of primary central nervous system lymphoma arise from retina, vitreous, or optic nerve-with or without central nervous system (CNS) involvement.

Cancer

Considering pattern of invasion to identify low risk endocervical adenocarcinomas

In economically developed countries like the U.S., the decline of endocervical squamous cell carcinoma associated with the utilization of the Pap screening test is one of the great success stories in medicine.

Staining Methods in Frozen Section: Best Lab Practices

Tissue staining during a frozen section is one of the most important steps in obtaining an accurate pathologic diagnosis.

Cancer

ProMisE – a Simple and Clinically Applicable Molecular Classifier of Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. and the 4th most common cancer in women. There are about 61,000 cases annually which account for about 7% of all cancers in women.

Blood Disorders

Identification of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia

Heparin is a commonly-used anticoagulant that is given to patients to prevent the formation of blood clots used in the setting of certain medical condition or medical procedures.

Blood Disorders

Assessing Platelet Refractoriness and the Appropriate Use of HLA Testing

Platelet transfusions have become a mainstay of treatment that are invaluable in the management of patients with hematologic and oncologic disorders.

Concerns Regarding Biotin Interference: Two Years Later

In recent years, the emergence of high dose biotin supplementation and unproven regimens for treating multiple sclerosis has brought biotin interference back into the spotlight.

Blood Disorders

Optimal Utilization of Thromboelastrography (TEG)

Thromboelastography (TEG) was first described by Dr. Hartert in Germany almost 60 years ago. However, it came to clinical practice almost 25 years following its discovery.

Infectious Diseases

To Multiplex or Not Multiplex During Influenza Season – that is the Question

Summer is not a time when we think about influenza; however, “flu season” is not far away — often beginning in October of each year.

Blood Disorders

A Brief Introduction to Clinical Application of Liquid Biopsy

What is liquid biopsy? It's a test done on circulating tumor cells or shed fragments of tumor DNA from a sample of blood to determine the genomics or molecular portrait of a tumor.

Cancer

Assessment of HER2 status in Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma (GEA)

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is a proto-oncogene that encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor belonging to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family.

Cancer

Current Challenges for HER2 Immunohistochemistry Testing in Diagnostic Pathology

In the era of precision medicine, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the important predictive and prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer.

The Value of Lymphoma Work-up for Pediatric Tonsillectomy Specimens

Tonsillectomy is one of the most frequent surgeries in the U.S. Tonsil excision is usually performed to treat benign diseases such as sleep disordered breathing and recurrent pharyngitis.

Best Practices in Frozen Section Analysis

The optimal use of intraoperative consultation, also known as frozen sections (FS), requires thoughtful collaboration between the surgical and pathology teams.

Blood Disorders

New Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Bloodstream Infections….Coming soon for UC Davis Health System

Bloodstream infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. The timely identification of blood borne pathogens and the selection of antimicrobial therapy can improve clinical outcomes.

Cancer

The Optimal Specimen for Lymphoma Workup

Evaluation of a patient for a possible diagnosis of lymphoma requires a biopsy of a suspicious lymph node or other potentially involved tissue, along with the expertise of a pathologist.

Blood Disorders

Fungal Blood Cultures: When should they be ordered?

In every patient with a suspected infection, the prompt detection and identification of the organism is of utmost importance.

A conversation about best practices

Want to submit an article?

Contact us

Connect with us