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.

LATEST RELEASE

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?
    • Newborn Screening
    • Disease Diagnosis: Brucellosis
    • Interpretation: FEVER/ PYREXIA OF UKNOWN ORIGIN
    • Trouble Shooting: Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO/PUO) Workup
    • Disease Diagnosis: Fevers Without A Focus
    • Interpretation: NIPAH Virus
    • Trouble Shooting: Zoonotic Diseases

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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