ATE 2638 Lab Procedures I

The art of diagnosis

Five Major Functions of lab exams

Remember the Basics

Laboratory Results

NORMALS

Normal values can be misleading

Laboratory Values Vary

Sensitivity vs. Specificity

Validity

Invalid Results

Commercial labs have extensive quality control

Need for Quality Control

Hemolysis

Effects of Hemolysis

Intravascular Hemolysis

Sample Storage

Lipemia

Therapy is based on interruption of lab data.

Sites for Obtaining Blood

Sites for Obtaining Blood (Cont.)

Blood Volume

Serum vs. Plasma

Results

Vacutainer tubes

Vacutainer tubes (Cont.)