PYR HYDROLYSIS TEST Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description This test is used to differentiate gram (+) cocci that will hydrolyze the substrate L-pyrrolidonyl α-naphthylamide (PYR) form those that are PYR negative. PYR-impregnated disks serve as the substrate to produce α naphthylamine whichis detected in the presence of D-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMCA). Specimen Requirements Isolated colonies …
PULSED FIELD GEL ELECTROPHORESIS Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description It is a method used in genotyping and is primarily used for separating large molecules of DNA or genomic-sizedDNA. PFGE is also considered to be a variation of agarose gel electrophoresis. Its wide application has been very usefulespecially in bacterial genotyping. A special modification of …
PROTHROMBIN TIME (PT) AND ACTIVATED PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTIN TIME (APTT) Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description Hemostasis involves a lot of steps and numerous coagulation factors and substances in order to function properly. Two of the most common tests to monitor this are the PT and aPTT. Partial thromboplastin time or activated partial thromboplastin time is …
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PARATHYROID HORMONE/ PTH Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description Parathyroid hormone, produced by the parathyroid gland, is an hypercalcemic hormone whose major role is to regulate and maintain not only the calcium levels in the body but also phosphorus. PTH levels are typically assessed in patients with chronic renal failure. Specimen Requirements Patient serum …
PREGNANCY TESTING Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone secreted by the placenta, is measured in determining pregnancy. This hormone can be detected in the blood 8-10 days after conception. HCG level increases until its peak on the 12th week of gestation. However, it decreases slowly during the remainder …
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION/PCR Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description PCR is one of the nucleic acid amplification methods and an in vitro DNA synthesis method. Amplification of a single copy of DNA into large amounts of nucleic acids can take up to 25-45 reaction cycles. This method is also believed to be user-friendly, simple, sensitive …
PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR/PBS Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description Peripheral blood smear is one of the routine methods performed in the hematology section of a clinical laboratory. This aids in the cytologic evaluation of the different blood cells. As basic as it is, PBS has remained a very important diagnostic tool in hematologists. An ideal …
PAP SMEAR Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description The Papanicolaou smear can be performed on various types of body secretions but this test is most commonly used as a screening tool in the detection of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in the cervix. The obtained cells from the T-zone or transformation zone of the cervix …
OXIDASE TEST Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description Oxidase test is helpful in differentiating between Enterobacteriaceae, which are oxidase negative and the pseudomonads which are oxidase positive. This test determines the presence of cytochrome oxidase system that oxidizes reduced cytochrome with oxygen. The most commonly used reagents are 0.5% tetramethyl-p phenylenediamine dihydrochloride Specimen Requirements …
OSMOTIC FRAGILITY TEST Description Specimen Requirements Procedure Interpretation Description This test is primarily used in the cases of hereditary spherocytosis. Because of the decreased surface area to volume ratio, spherocytes have a limited capacity to expand in hypotonic solutions and therefore lyses at higher concentrations of saline than normal biconcave red cells. Thus, spherocytes are …
