RECENT FEATURE ARTICLES
Rapid diagnostics – time is relative: a BSMT Annual Scientific Meeting report
Mark Wilks reports on the Annual Scientific Conference of the British Society for Microbial Technology, held at Public Health England, Colindale, London, earlier this year.- Feature
Point-of-care testing in microbiology: an overview
The application of point-of-care testing has become commonplace across much of diagnostics. Here, Sarah Pitt looks at the situation in microbiology and how this technology can benefit patient care and infection control.- Feature
Translational research: designing the route from bench to bedside
David Martin discusses the role of architectural best practice in supporting translational research, to ensure innovations in the laboratory are transposed rapidly into successful improvements in patient outcomes.- Feature
Microbe 2018: a brief preview of scientific and commercial excellence
This year’s Microbe symposium, the 17th biennial event in this series, will return to Sheffield in September. Here, Pathology in Practice provides a preview, including the vital commercial element of proceedings.- Feature
Cardiac troponins and the diagnosis of heart disease: some articles in the current literature
Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and troponin I (cTnI) are cardiac regulatory proteins that control the calcium-mediated interaction between actin and myosin. Raised cardiac troponin concentrations are now accepted as the standard biochemical marker for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.- Feature
Optimising Mohs clinic flow and patient treatment: the vital role of cryotomy
The University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, has pioneered Mohs micrographic surgery since 1992, providing optimal patient care and rapid skin cancer treatment. Central to fast treatment time is cryosectioning, which is facilitated by use of the Thermo Scientific Cryostar NX70.- Feature
UK NEQAS: coordinating point-of-care testing
Point-of-care testing is vitally important in many areas of 21st-century healthcare, and requires medical laboratory overview to ensure a safe an efficient service. External quality assessment is an important aspect of this assurance, as this report illustrates.- Feature
Storage, archiving and retrieval of bacteria and fungi: overview and update
Biobanking increases in importance as scientific development and research continues. Here, Mark Reed offers a brief, not on the high street, insight into what is now a complex science.- Feature
Serological infectious diseases: a solution that meets a gap in the market
Jamie Laughlin explores the benefits of a novel, innovative solution for serological infectious diseases testing recently introduced at South West London Pathology, part of St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.- Feature
Assay to assess bleeding risk in haemophilia A and B patients: a case study
A coagulation laboratory in Cambridge is part of a pan-European study looking at the in vitro diagnostics potential for automated thrombin generation testing in the routine laboratory setting.- Feature
Forward-thinking software and instrumentation transform NHS pathology services
The need to share, analyse and compare data across numerous laboratories is becoming more relevant as plans for larger NHS pathology networks unfold. Here, North West London Pathology and Stago illustrate how this can be facilitated.- Feature
Putting it all together, building the measurement uncertainty budget
The seventh and final article in this series by Stephen MacDonald on individual aspects of the assessment of uncertainty of measurement provides an example of how to set, assess and review measurement uncertainty in any situation in the laboratory.- Feature
Rapid diagnosis of toxigenic Clostridium difficile using a novel LAMP technology
The identification of C. difficile carriers who have the potential to produce toxin can take up to four days, delaying patient isolation and increasing the chance of nosocomial spread of infection. Here, Laura Nottle considers the performance and benefits of a tcdB gene detection assay.- Feature
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification: diagnostics closer to the patient
The development of new nucleic acid amplification techniques is bringing molecular diagnostics closer to the patient for faster results and improved patient management. A prime example of this near-patient capability is LAMP technology.- Feature
Multiple myeloma and molecular pathology: a selection of articles in the current literature
Multiple myeloma accounts for about 1% of all types of human cancer and 13% of all haematological malignancies. Much molecular study currently is being undertaken on the disease, as the following selection of articles illustrates.- Feature
Tissue handling for molecular pathology: a topic of increasing importance
Louise Jones and Clare Craig reflect on the outputs of a workshop held last year, which looked at how best to handle surgical specimens from the point of removal, such that optimal results will be obtained from molecular analysis as well as conventional microscopy and immunohistochemistry.- Feature
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin: from TB prophylaxis to tumour Immunotherapy
The use of BCG is best known as a vaccination against tuberculosis. However, its role in bladder cancer immunotherapy goes back almost four decades, and its success has prompted increasing interest in the manipulation of the immune system against tumours.- Feature
Clinical and Laboratory Haemostasis: a blood coagulation EQA update
Ian Jennings reports on proceedings of the second day of the UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation scientific and participants’ meeting, which is held annually at The Atrium at Sheffield Hallam University.- Feature
Pre-eclampsia testing: support for the use of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio
Results of recent studies into pre-eclampsia testing have informed the latest National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, which recommends use of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test to help rule-out this form of gestational hypertension.- Feature
Research in brief
Research in the medical laboratory provides opportunities both for the seasoned professional and also those in the early stages of their career. The work reported below reflects first on an audit of the use of order communications and the need for effective training of clinicians, and second the potential problem of false-positive bloodspot results in inherited metabolic disease screening.- Feature