intro to chemical pathology Flashcards
What does FBC, ESR, CRP, LFT U&E means?
FBC-full blood count
ESR-erythroid sedimentation rate-tells you something is wrong -normal can rule out a lot
CRP-C-reactive protein-liver produced in response to inflamation
LFT-Liver function tests-check if liver proteins in serum–Alk phosphatase, AST, albumin
Urea & electrolytes-to be measures
What types of tube are available in the NHS? What different things do they contain?
Red top-no anti-coagulant
Yellow-Get to speed up coagulation (centrifuged out)
Purple top-Potassium EDTA (keeps cells alive, but cant doe electrolytes)
Grey top-Fluoride oxalate (poison)-stop RBC from doing glycolysis as the sample wait to be processed- used to measure glucose
Exemples: U&E -yellow/red Gluc-grey Hba1c-purple top TFT-yellow/red LFT-yellow/re
What is the difference between plasma and serum?
Plasma is where there is anti coagulant-sperate in blood cells and plasma
When no anti-coagulant-serum is the what is left after the coagulation
The serum/plasma is what will be tested
How do you measure insulin with Chem Path? How about glucose/protein in CSF?
Insulin cannot stay in tube for longer than 25 mins
Need to bring super fast and then labs centrifuge
SO need to call them before to be sure they are read
CSF fluid also requires a good call-ensure they can do it
How can heamolysis mess with results?
When you take blood from a patient, if you take the blood too fast, using a too small needed-BREAK THE RBC-release their potassium
Can mess with potassium levels-lab will write heamolised
What does high urea and high Creatinine usually tells you?
Creatinie high usually tells you renal failure
urea high means that tubules are unhappy (acute dehydration)
-both risen-Renal failure
If only urea risen-usually means healthy kidney but acute dehydration
What are the 4 main liver enzymes that are measured?
Albumin-liver hapiness lvls
Bilirubin-jaundice (pre, hep or post hepatic)
Alkaline phosphatase
ALT (liver damage, like hep A)
What cardiac enzymes tell you?
Creatinine Kinase -produced by heart-and can tell u if you have heart damage
What 4 things can virology detect?
Infectious virus (grow virus)-rare
Protein components (Angtigens of the virus) -mostly for bloodborn virus)
genetic component of the virus (DNA/RNA)
The host reponse (anti-bodies and cell response)-most common)
What are the main tests of Virology?
Quantification of AB/AG
PCR is important
Setotyping, Viral load, Genome analysis
Serology is main one (check Ab)
What is sensitivity and specificity of a test?
Sensitivity (if high, no false neg), Specif if high, no false pos
How can IgM and IgG levels tell you?
how long infection has been
What is an issue with IgM testing? How can it be verified
It has low specificity-lot of false positive
But can be corrected using avidity testing
ELISA-will look for Ab and AG (P24)
What does EIA test?
4th generation-now even 5th exist-Look for Ab and P24 HIV Ag-
What is the use of cell culture for virology? And electron microscopy? And immunoflurescentce?
Cell cultures-Rarely used-reference lab really -slow, expensive
Still useful for Pheonotypic antiviral susceptibility testing
EM-never used lol-look for virus manually
IF-used to be used a lot (with coloured tags to look after)0
