Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has received CE Mark approval to offer pleural fluid pH testing on its RAPIDPoint 500 blood gas system. This provides clinicians, laboratories and point-of-care coordinators with an important new diagnostic tool for use in critical care situations.
Pleural effusions may be a symptom of underlying illness such as heart failure, pulmonary embolism, cancer or kidney disease. When a patient’s pleural fluid pH is less than 7.30 (normal pleural fluid pH is estimated at 7.64), it may suggest the presence of an inflammatory or infiltrative process. While these measurements can be taken using pH meters or indicator sticks, studies have shown these methods to be less accurate than readings conducted using a blood gas analyser.
The addition of pleural fluid pH testing on Siemens’ RAPIDPoint 500 system complements the analyser’s comprehensive critical care menu, which includes tests for blood gases, electrolytes, glucose and lactate and full CO-oximetry, including total neonatal bilirubin.
www.siemens.com/rp500pf
