FEATURE ARTICLES

Digital imaging and telemedicine have developed in leaps and bounds over the past decade. To get the best out of the technology, however, focused training in the latest techniques will pay dividends for the novice and experienced user alike.

Asymptomatic hyperprolactinaemia due to macroprolactin, which is not bioactive in vivo, has prompted research on prolactin and the many commercially available immunoassays used to measure the hormone. Here, Veronique Jarrige provides an overview of implications for the laboratory.

President-elect of The Royal College of Pathologists, Professor Adrian Newland, outlines the challenges of his new role to Pathology In Practice, and discusses the future of pathology service delivery in the face of modernisation and regulatory change.

Few working in pathology can have missed the fact that ever-smaller numbers of junior doctors are choosing to specialise in the various disciplines that comprise laboratory medicine. The remedy may be far from simple but Nikon is playing its part.

Manual urine testing in microbiology is a time-consuming and laborious process. However, automation in the form of the iQ200 from Instrumentation Laboratory is at hand, as Karen Edwards explains.

Electrophoretic separation of macromolecules is common in molecular biology. However, knowing the dispensed-sample quantity is critical for reliable interpretation of the bands produced. Now, the new Transferpette electronic pipette from Brand offers the means to determine and document the dispensed volume precisely.

Contracts provided by commercial companies to supply analysers, reagents, consumables and additional staff and support are a cost-effective way to provide an efficient pathology service. Here, Chris Bird takes a brief look at what is involved.

Norovirus infection can be quite devastating, as past outbreaks in hospitals and on cruise ships has demonstrated. Now, a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from Quadratech offers reliable detection and a commitment to adapt the technology to detect different variants of the virus currently in circulation.

Total confidence in first-time results can open up more effective ways of working. Here, two laboratory managers discuss how Intellicheck technology from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics makes change possible.

The wide range of manual identification methods available from Oxoid combines speed and convenience with accuracy and reliability, allowing clinical microbiology and virology laboratories of any size to offer rapid results. Ian Hart explains.

Virologists from across the UK and Ireland gathered in London in October for the annual Bayer molecular diagnostic systems user group meeting. As guests of the company, delegates assembled at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to exchange views, compare experiences and listen to topical presentations by keynote speakers.

Blood gas analysis at the point of care is often performed under stressful situations that provide the opportunity for error. However, 1st automatic from Radiometer simplifies and automates the process, as the companyÆs Lorenzo De Feo explains.

Launched this year by Axis-Shield UK, Afinion is a compact desktop point-of-care analyser designed for multi-user environments. Here, Sue Younghusband looks in detail at the new technology on which Afinion is based and describes the chemistry used to produce laboratory-quality test results.

Located in central London, Independent Histopathology Services is a private laboratory that provides a comprehensive service to the NHS and private sector. From frozen sections to molecular biology techniques, liquid-based cytology to the latest in reporting technology, histopathology and cytopathology are fully covered.

Antigen retrieval is an important aspect of modern immunohistochemical technique; however, standardisation is necessary to ensure the best results. EZ Retriever, now available from Launch Diagnostics, promises a flexible and robust option to conventional methodology

A revolution is about to take place in histopathology and it is likely to benefit laboratory staff and patients alike. Continuous processing, microwave technology and automated embedding are technological improvements set to pave the way for same-day reporting.

Use of formaldehyde in histopathology has a long history. To date, its advantages have outweighed its disadvantages, but an increasing reliance on immunocytochemical and molecular biology technology is set to change the status quo. Here, Sue Bennett of Surgipath introduces a worthy alternative.

From the clinical teaching classroom to a ship off the coast of Africa, COOLSCOPE from Nikon has become the virtual heart of telepathology. Chay Keogh explains the technology behind the system and how it is being used.

Automated interphase fluorescence in situ hybridisation scanning methods speed up the labour-intensive process of screening for chromosomal disorders. Here, Ian Corless of Image Solutions demonstrates the effectiveness of this technology

Over a five-month period between October 2004 and February 2005, an evaluation of Beckman CoulterÆs new UniCel DxC 800 Synchron clinical chemistry analyser was carried out in a German laboratory. Dr Hugo Stiegler supervised the trial and reports on the findings.