Crux newsletter

CRUX - Bimonthly Forum

The Crux, a bimonthly forum for the Laboratorians, was started in the year 2004. The articles for this publication are compiled and edited by a renowned pathologist who has written and published several books largely used in the medical colleges in India. This forum, which is updated every two months, covers three major IVD segment-related topics: disease diagnosis, interpretation, and trouble shooting. This newsletter was created specifically for lab technicians to keep them informed about the most recent developments in the IVD industry.

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PAST ISSUES ARCHIVE

Archives 2021-2024

    • Disease Diagnosis: Juvenile Diabetes Mellitus
    • Interpretation: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
    • Trouble Shooting: Diabetes Mellitus Diagnosis
    • Disease Diagnosis: Viralhepatitis
    • Interpretation: Hepatitis Markers
    • Trouble Shooting: Universal Guidelines In An Influenza Like Illness Pandemic Scenario (Like Covid 19)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Dic (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation)
    • Interpretation: Prothrombin Time
    • Trouble Shooting: What to know about the warfarin diet
    • Disease Diagnosis: Paediatric Tuberculosis
    • Interpretation: Adenosine Deaminase
    • Trouble Shooting: Pleural Effusion Workup
    • Disease Diagnosis: CMV  
    • Interpretation: TORCH investigation  
    • Trouble Shooting: TORCH Syndrome
    • Disease Diagnosis: SjÖgren’s Syndrome  
    • Interpretation: SjÖgren’s Syndrome  
    • Trouble Shooting: ANA’s
    • Disease Diagnosis: INFLUENZA
    • Interpretation: IMMUNOLOGIC TESTS  
    • Trouble Shooting: Point-of-care immunodiagnostic tests for COVID-19
    • Disease Diagnosis: Pulmonary Eosinophilia  
    • Interpretation: UNDERSTANDING Nephelometry and Turbidimetry  
    • Trouble Shooting: TURBIDIMETRY
    • Disease Diagnosis: Syphilis
    • Interpretation: SYPHILIS TESTS  
    • Trouble Shooting: UNDERSTANDING ICT TESTS
    • Disease Diagnosis: MONKEY POX
    • Interpretation: CRP
    • Trouble Shooting: HemoglobinA1C (HbA1c) Test
    • Disease Diagnosis: MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
    • Interpretation: Brain natriuretic peptide
    • Trouble Shooting: Cardiac marker
    • Disease Diagnosis: HEPATITIS C
    • Interpretation: Understanding Hepatitis -- Diagnosis and Treatment (HEPA,B & C)
    • Trouble Shooting: Serological markers
    • Disease Diagnosis: TIME RESOLVED FLUORESCENCE IMMUNOASSAY
    • Disease Diagnosis: Benign Hyperplasis Prostate
    • Interpretation: Anti-Müllerian Hormone Test
    • Trouble Shooting: IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE TROUBLESHOOTING
    • Disease Diagnosis: Scrub Typhus
    • Interpretation: How Forest Loss Is Leading To a Rise in Human Disease
    • Trouble Shooting: ImmunochromatographyAssay (ICA)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Congenital Syphilis
    • Interpretation: Paediatric Syphilis
    • Trouble Shooting: Updated Recommendation by CDC to test for Hepatitis C during every pregnancy
    • Disease Diagnosis: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
    • Interpretation: Hemoglobin Patterns In Common Hemoglobinopathies
    • Trouble Shooting: Hemoglobinopathy
    • Disease Diagnosis: PERNICIOUS ANEMIA
    • Interpretation: Methyl Malonic Acid
    • Trouble Shooting: Vitamin B12 Estimation
    • Disease Diagnosis: Atopic dermatitis (AD)
    • Interpretation: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) 
    • Trouble Shooting: IMMUNOGLOBULINS
    • Disease Diagnosis: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
    • Interpretation: Newborn Screening
    • Trouble Shooting: Why is newborn screening important for PKU?

Archives 2016-2020

    • Disease Diagnosis: NEMATODE INFECTIONS
    • Interpretation: Gram Stain Procedure
    • Trouble Shooting: Colour Atlas of Haematological Pathologies
    • Disease Diagnosis: VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS
    • Interpretation: WIDAL TEST
    • Trouble Shooting: PCR Troubleshooting Guide
    • Disease Diagnosis: TUBERCULOSIS
    • Interpretation: AFB Smear Microscopy
    • Trouble Shooting: Steps in Performing AFB Microscopy
    • Disease Diagnosis: HYPOTHYROIDISM
    • Interpretation: THYROID FUNCTION TESTS
    • Trouble Shooting: ATYPICAL THYROID PATTERNS
    • Disease Diagnosis: HYPERTHYROIDISM
    • Interpretation: Thyroid levels in different disease conditions
    • Trouble Shooting: Problems in the Interpretation of Thyroid Function Tests
    • Disease Diagnosis: URINARY TRACT INFECTION ( MALES )
    • Interpretation: URINE CULTURE
    • Trouble Shooting: URINE CULTURE
    • Disease Diagnosis: URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (FEMALES)
    • Interpretation: LEUKEMIAS
    • Trouble Shooting: Overview of HIV Testing Technologies
    • Disease Diagnosis: DYSENTRY (Shigellosis)
    • Interpretation: Stool Analysis
    • Trouble Shooting: Sperm preparation techniques and culture media
    • Disease Diagnosis: RICKETTSIAE
    • Interpretation: LATEX AGGLUTINATION TESTS
    • Trouble Shooting: HOME PREGNANCY TESTS
    • Disease Diagnosis: DIPHTHERIA
    • Interpretation: AFB
    • Trouble Shooting: The Gram Stain
    • Disease Diagnosis: EOSINOPHILIA
    • Interpretation: Hemoglobin Electrophoresis
    • Trouble Shooting: Haemolysis: Major challenge in the Lab
    • Disease Diagnosis: Tetanus
    • Interpretation: Anaerobes
    • Trouble Shooting: Anaerobic bacteria culture
    • Disease Diagnosis: TRICHMONIASIS
    • Interpretation: CYTODIAGNOSIS
    • Trouble Shooting: CYTODIAGNOSIS
    • CHEMILUMINESCENCE
    • Disease Diagnosis: ZIKA VIRUS
    • Interpretation: ZIKA VIRUS
    • Trouble Shooting: VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS WORKUP
    • Disease Diagnosis: BOTULISM
    • Interpretation: Bacterial Wound Culture
    • Trouble Shooting: Anaerobic bacteria culture
    • Disease Diagnosis: Viral encephalitis
    • Interpretation: Isolation, culture, and identification of viruses
    • Trouble Shooting: Isolation, culture, and identification of viruses
    • Disease Diagnosis: Goiter
    • Interpretation: Thyroid function tests
    • Trouble Shooting: Selection and troubleshooting of Immunoassays
    • Disease Diagnosis: Disorders of bone mineralization
    • Interpretation: Nutrient mineral levels
    • Trouble Shooting: Blood calcium
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hepatitis d
    • Interpretation: Understanding hepatitis b serology
    • Trouble Shooting: Elisa troubleshooting tips
    • Disease Diagnosis: Oral mucousa squamous cell carcinoma
    • Interpretation: The A to Z of histological stains
    • Trouble Shooting: H and E: Method, Tips and Troubleshooting
    • Disease Diagnosis: Vaginitis practice essentials
    • Interpretation: Bacterial vaginosis
    • Trouble Shooting: The gram stain
    • Disease Diagnosis: Toxoplasmosis
    • Interpretation: HIV tests and issues related to their accuracy
    • Trouble Shooting: Rapid HIV testing issues and usage
    • Disease Diagnosis: Bacterial sepsis
    • Interpretation: Blood culture
    • Trouble Shooting: Blood cultures How to obtain, process, report, and interpret
    • Disease Diagnosis: Inherited metabolic disorders and New Born Screening
    • Disease Diagnosis: Sickle cell disease (SCD)
    • Interpretation: Hb ELECTROPHORESIS
    • Trouble Shooting: Capillary Blood Collection: Best Practices
    • Disease Diagnosis: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
    • Interpretation: Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody
    • Trouble Shooting: ELISA Troubleshooting Tips
    • Disease Diagnosis: Rickets
    • Interpretation: Vitamin D Deficiency
    • Trouble Shooting: Vitamin D assay
    • Disease Diagnosis: Menopause
    • Interpretation: Female Gonadotropin and other hormones
    • Trouble Shooting: Infertility
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hashimoto Thyroiditis
    • Interpretation: Thyroid Hormones Synthesis
    • Trouble Shooting: Troubleshooting Thyroid Hormone Results
    • Disease Diagnosis: Iron Deficiencyanemia
    • Interpretation: Ferritin Reference Range
    • Trouble Shooting: Routine Venipuncture And Specimen Handling

Archives 2011-2015

    • Disease Diagnosis: Chronic Kidney disease
    • Interpretation: Breast Lump Aspiration
    • Trouble Shooting: Genetic testing
    • Disease Diagnosis: Prostate Cancer
    • Interpretation: Aminoacidurias and inborn errors of metabolism
    • Trouble Shooting: Large scale lab errors (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hodgkin's Lymphoma
    • Interpretation: Aminoacidurias and inborn errors of metabolism (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Large scale lab errors (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Megaloblastic Anaemia
    • Interpretation: Ferritin
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality Control In The New Environment: Automated Hematology
    • Disease Diagnosis: Deep Venous Thrombosis And Thrombophlebitis
    • Interpretation: Urine Calcium: Laboratory Measurement And Clinical Utility
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality Control In The New Environment: Automated Hematology (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Gout
    • Interpretation: Alcoholic Liver Disease
    • Trouble Shooting: Nongynecological Cytology Practice Guidelines
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hypertension
    • Interpretation: Lipoproteins
    • Trouble Shooting: Protocol for managing exposure to blood or potentially infectious body fluids in the laboratory
    • Disease Diagnosis: Infectious mononucleosis
    • Interpretation: Reporting critical values in laboratory practice
    • Trouble Shooting: Homocysteine
    • Disease Diagnosis: Scarlet Fever
    • Interpretation: Interpretation of Laboratory tests in Rheumatic disease
    • Trouble Shooting: Treating HIV exposure
    • Disease Diagnosis: Herpes simplex
    • Interpretation: Interpretation of Laboratory Tests in Rheumatic disease
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality control of serological assays
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chickenpox
    • Interpretation: Vitamin D
    • Trouble Shooting: Blood samples transportation
    • Disease Diagnosis: Recurrent early pregnancy loss
    • Interpretation: Bone marrow aspiration/Biopsy
    • Trouble Shooting: Interpreting antiphospholipids antibodies and miscarriages
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chronic myeloid leukemia
    • Interpretation: Leucocyte alkaline phosphatase
    • Trouble Shooting: Ph chromosome
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chikungunya fever
    • Interpretation: Real time pcr
    • Trouble Shooting: PCR
    • Disease Diagnosis: Colorectal carcinoma
    • Interpretation: Gastro-intestinal tumour markers
    • Trouble Shooting: Standard operating procedures for a medical microbiology lab
    • Disease Diagnosis: Real Time micro PCR System An Introduction
    • Disease Diagnosis: Gonorrhea
    • Interpretation: Gastro-intestinal tumour markers(con. From CRUX 57)
    • Trouble Shooting: Biosafety
    • Disease Diagnosis: Inflammatory bowel disease
    • Interpretation: Faeces
    • Trouble Shooting: FOBT
    • Disease Diagnosis: Vasculitides
    • Interpretation: Sputum culture
    • Trouble Shooting: Specimen for submission
    • Disease Diagnosis: Basics of ESR
    • Interpretation: ESR Test methods
    • Trouble Shooting: ICSH (International Council of Standardization of Hematology) recommendations for measurement of ESR
    • Disease Diagnosis: Acute glomerulonephritis
    • Interpretation: Cervical cytology- pap's smear
    • Trouble Shooting: IHC troubleshooting tips
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chronic glomerulonephritis
    • Interpretation: Complete Blood Count
    • Trouble Shooting: H and E staining
    • Disease Diagnosis: Plague
    • Interpretation: Urine test
    • Trouble Shooting: The Pap stain
    • Disease Diagnosis: Ebola virus disease
    • Interpretation: Routine and microscopic urine examination
    • Trouble Shooting: Urinalysis
    • Disease Diagnosis: Vasculitides
    • Interpretation: Sputum culture
    • Trouble Shooting: Specimen for submission
    • Disease Diagnosis: Basics of ESR
    • Interpretation: ESR Test methods
    • Trouble Shooting: ICSH (International Council of Standardization of Hematology) recommendations for measurement of ESR
    • Disease Diagnosis: FILARIASIS
    • Interpretation: Liver Test Interpretation - Approach to the Patient with Liver Disease:
    • Trouble Shooting: Stool Analysis
    • Disease Diagnosis: POLYCYTHEMIA VERA
    • Interpretation: DEVELOPMENT OF BLOOD CELLS SITES OF BLOOD FORMATION
    • Trouble Shooting: ISSUES FACED WITH AUTOMATED CELL COUNTERS
    • Disease Diagnosis: AMEBIASIS
    • Interpretation: DIARRHEA
    • Trouble Shooting: STOOL ANALYSIS
    • Disease Diagnosis: CHOLERA
    • Interpretation: Colony Description
    • Trouble Shooting: Hanging Drop Procedure

Archives 2004-2010

    • Disease Diagnosis: Dengue Fever
    • Interpretation: Trace Elements
    • Trouble Shooting: Blood Collection
    • Disease Diagnosis: Leptospirosis
    • Interpretation: Creatine Kinase
    • Trouble Shooting: Non Linear Multipoint Assays
    • Disease Diagnosis: HIV/AIDS
    • Interpretation: Glycohemoglobin
    • Trouble Shooting: Staining Mycobacteria
    • Disease Diagnosis: Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Interpretation: Microalbuminuria
    • Trouble Shooting: Analyte Stability
    • Disease Diagnosis: Enteric Fever
    • Interpretation: C-Reactive Protein
    • Trouble Shooting: Analyte Stability
    • Disease Diagnosis: Syphilis
    • Interpretation: Fecal Occult Blood
    • Trouble Shooting: Prothrombin time INR
    • Disease Diagnosis: Malaria
    • Interpretation: Serum Immunoglobins IgG/ IgM/IgA
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality control For Routine Hemostasis Laboratory
    • Disease Diagnosis: G6PD deficiency
    • Interpretation: Prostate Specific Antigen
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality Assurance in Routine Immuno-hematology
    • Disease Diagnosis: Sickle hemoglobinopathies
    • Interpretation: Cancer Markers
    • Trouble Shooting: FUO /PUO (Fever of unknown origin)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Myocardial Infarction
    • Interpretation: Cancer Markers (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Universal work precautions for lab personnel (HIV transmission)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Viral Hepatitis C
    • Interpretation: Cancer markers (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality control in hematology
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hepatitis B
    • Interpretation: Diagnosis & Classification of diabetes mellitus: new criteria
    • Trouble Shooting: Principles of Quality Assurance and Standards for Clinical Chemistry
    • Disease Diagnosis: Tuberculosis
    • Interpretation: Diagnosis & Classification of diabetes mellitus: new criteria (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Principles of Quality Assurance and Standards for Clinical Chemistry (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Pancreatitis
    • Interpretation: Interpretation of Lipid and Non-Lipid Markers in Cardiovascular disease
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality assurance in Bacteriology
    • Disease Diagnosis: SLE
    • Interpretation: Interpretation of Lipid and Non-Lipid Markers in Cardiovascular disease (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Quality assurance in Bacteriology (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Brucellosis
    • Interpretation: Neo natal screening test
    • Trouble Shooting: Antigen vs Antibody tests in malaria testing
    • Disease Diagnosis: Infectious Mononucleosis
    • Interpretation: Neo natal screening test (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Specimen Quality
    • Disease Diagnosis: Toxoplasmosis
    • Interpretation: HIV test and issues related to their accuracy
    • Trouble Shooting: Rapid HIV testing Issues and usage
    • Disease Diagnosis: Bioshields and Accumix
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hemolytic disease of the newborn
    • Interpretation: Cholinesterase
    • Trouble Shooting: Guidelines for blood grouping and antibody testing in pregnancy
    • Disease Diagnosis: Multiple myeloma
    • Interpretation: Diagnosing and staging multiple myeloma- interpreting results
    • Trouble Shooting: Guidelines for blood grouping and antibody testing in pregnancy ( contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: DIC
    • Interpretation: Serum calcium
    • Trouble Shooting: Guidelines for blood grouping and antibody testing in pregnancy (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Leprosy
    • Interpretation: Serum bilirubin/ urinary and fecal urobilinogen
    • Trouble Shooting: Specimen preparation
    • Disease Diagnosis: Iron deficiency anemia
    • Interpretation: Iron indices and ferritin
    • Trouble Shooting: Specimen preparation (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Rheumatic fever
    • Interpretation: Serum proteins
    • Trouble Shooting: POCT
    • Disease Diagnosis: Leishmaniasis
    • Interpretation: MRSA
    • Trouble Shooting: Prevention of MRSA
    • Disease Diagnosis: Thalassemia
    • Interpretation: MRSA (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Prevention of MRSA (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Ricketssiae
    • Interpretation: Breast tumor markers
    • Trouble Shooting: Prevention of MRSA (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chikungunya
    • Interpretation: Seminogram
    • Trouble Shooting: Sperm counts
    • Disease Diagnosis: Avian (Bird) Flu
    • Interpretation: Urinary crystals
    • Trouble Shooting: Laboratory acquired brucellosis
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hepatitis A
    • Interpretation: Urinary Crystals (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Glycosylated hemoglobin
    • Disease Diagnosis: Hepatitis E
    • Interpretation: Immunoglobin E
    • Trouble Shooting: Helicobacteria pylori tests
    • Disease Diagnosis: Chylamdia
    • Interpretation: Amylase-Lipase in Pancreatitis
    • Trouble Shooting: Phlebectomy- Blood collection
    • Disease Diagnosis: Peptic Ulcer
    • Interpretation: Hepatitis B markers
    • Trouble Shooting: Phlebectomy- Blood collection ( contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Drug Abuse
    • Interpretation: Hepatitis B markers (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Phlebectomy- Blood collection (contd)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Dyslipidemia
    • Interpretation: Cluster of differentiation (CD4) markers
    • Trouble Shooting: Sterility ( Infection control) Maintenance in relation to Diagnostic laboratories
    • Disease Diagnosis: Swine Flu
    • Interpretation: Cystatin C
    • Trouble Shooting: Malaria RDTs
    • Disease Diagnosis: Cervical cancer
    • Interpretation: Urinary casts
    • Trouble Shooting: Malaria RDTs (contd.)
    • Disease Diagnosis: Type 2, Diabetes Mellitus
    • Interpretation: Type 2, Diabetes Mellitus, latest clinico diagnostic recommendation
    • Trouble Shooting: HBA1c measurements
    • Disease Diagnosis: Haemophilia
    • Interpretation: CD4 counts, highly active antiretroviral therapy
    • Trouble Shooting: Proper handling of breast cancer specimens
    • Disease Diagnosis: Brucellosis
    • Interpretation: CD4 counts, highly active antiretroviral therapy (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Need for Quality Trouble Shooting: Quality assurance in urine testing in susceptibility testing
    • Disease Diagnosis: Bacterial infection – culture and sensitivity (Antibiogram)
    • Interpretation: CD4 counts, highly active antiretroviral therapy (contd)
    • Trouble Shooting: Need for Quality control in susceptibility testing

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