Services - Clinical Microscopy

AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli)- This test uses a microscope to detect

bacteria called acid-fast bacilli in fluid or tissue samples.
Protein measures the amount of protein excreted in urine.
When the kidneys are damaged, protein leaks into your urine.
Persistent protein in the urine suggests that the kidneys filtering
units have been damaged by chronic kidney disease.
Urine Creatinine - gives an estimate of the concentration of
your urine, which allows for a more accurate protein result.
Creatinine is a by-product of normal muscle activity, which is
found in the urine and blood.
Glucose (sugar) - is usually a sign of diabetes. In children,
sugar in the urine may sometimes be related to a disorder that
affects growth and development.
Bacteria and white blood cells (pus cells) are signs of
infection. Bacteria without white blood cells may suggest another
type of problem such as vaginal or bladder disease.
Red blood cells - may be a sign of kidney diseases that
damage the filtering units of the kidneys, allowing blood cells to
leak into the urine. Blood in the urine may also be a sign of
problems like kidney stones, infections, bladder cancer or a blood
disorder like sickle cell disease.
Casts - are tube-shaped forms made of protein, and may have
red or white blood cells or other cells inside. Casts form in certain
kidney diseases because the kidneys are releasing a sticky type of
protein that traps blood cells and other types of cells.
Crystals - which are formed from chemicals in the urine. If
they become large enough, they form kidney stones.

pH - is a measure of the amount of acid in the urine. An

abnormal pH may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary infections,
chronic kidney disease or certain disorders that affect growth and
development in children.
Micro Urinalysis- consists of gross examination of urine, dipstick
of substances, and microscopic analysis of urine to detect cellular
elements, casts and crystals.
Fecalysis- consists of gross examination of stool and microscopic
examination to diagnose parasitic infection and diarrhea.
Micral Test - checks urine for the presence of a protein called
albumin
Occult Blood- a noninvasive screening test to detect the
presence of blood in stool caused by bleeding of the GI tract and
related internal organs.
Pregnancy Test- tests if a woman is pregnant
Parasitology
Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship
between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not
determined by the organism or environment in question, but by their way of
life. This means it forms a synthesis of other disciplines, and draws on
techniques from fields such as cell
biology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology,
genetics, evolution and ecology.

Hematology
is the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases.
Hematology includes the study of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis,
and prevention of blood diseases that affect the production of blood and its

components, such as blood cells, hemoglobin, blood proteins, and the

mechanism of coagulation.
Hematology is the branch of medicine concerning the study of blood, the
blood-forming organs, and blood diseases. Hematology tests include
laboratory assessments of blood formation and blood disorders.

Some examples of these tests are:

Full blood count - A count of the total number of red blood cells, white
blood cells and platelets present in blood.
Blood film - Blood is smeared over a glass slide that is stained with
specific dyes and viewed under a microscope. The number, shape
and size of blood cells and the presence of any abnormal cells or
immature cells are noted. The stain used for reticulocytes or
immature red blood cells is Heilmeyer's reticulocyte stain. Staining
may flag up abnormally shaped red blood cells such as sickle cells or
spherocytes.
Staining may also detect blood parasites such as malaria,
toxoplasmosis, and microfiliariasis.
Assessment and staining of immature platelets or megakaryocytes
may also be performed.
Assessment of granulocytosis.
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may be tested.
The bone marrow may be examined.
Iron status and anemias are assessed using tests such as serum
ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate levels.

 The Coombs' test or antiglobulin test may be used for blood typing
and blood matching prior to blood transfusion, for example.

Platelet function in bleeding and coagulation may be checked using a

test called prothrombin time.
Diascopy is a technique used to determine whether a lesion is
vascular, nonvascular or hemorrhagic.
D-dimer assessment may be performed to check for thrombotic
disorders.
Electrophoresis may be used to examine proteins in the blood such
as hemoglobin and to check for hemoglobinopathies such as
thalassemia or sickle cell anemia.
The enzyme G6PD may be assessed in sickle cell disease.
Fine-needle aspiration of lymph nodes and tumors.
Examination of spleen biopsy.
Immunocytochemical techniques for detecting antigens both inside
and on the surface of cells.
Assessment of storage diseases such as Gaucher's disease,
Niemann-Pick disease and glycogen storage disease.
Assessment of chronic myeloproliferative disorders using bone
marrow and blood examination.
Assessment of hemophagocytic syndromes.
Karyotyping to look for chromosomal disorders and abnormalities
.
Clinical chemistry

Clinical chemistry- (also known as chemical pathology, clinical biochemistry

or medical biochemistry) is the area of clinical pathology that is generally
concerned with analysis of bodily fluids.
General or routine chemistry - commonly ordered blood chemistries (e.g.,
liver and kidney function tests).
Special chemistry - elaborate techniques such as electrophoresis, and
manual testing methods.
Clinical endocrinology - the study of hormones, and diagnosis of endocrine
disorders.
Toxicology - the study of drugs of abuse and other chemicals.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring - measurement of therapeutic medication
levels to optimize dosage.
Urinalysis - chemical analysis of urine for a wide array of diseases, along
with other fluids such as CSF and effusions
Fecal analysis - mostly for detection of gastrointestinal disorders.
Common clinical chemistry tests include:
Electrolytes
Sodium
Potassium
Chloride
Bicarbonate
Renal (Kidney) Function Tests
Creatinine
Blood urea nitrogen
Liver Function Tests

 Total protein (serum)

Albumin
Globulins
A/G ratio (albumin-globulin)
Protein electrophoresis
Urine protein
Bilirubin; direct; indirect; total
Aspartate transaminase (AST)
Alanine transaminase (ALT)
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
Cardiac Markers
Troponin
Myoglobin
CK-MB
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
Minerals
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphate
Potassium

Blood Disorders
Iron
Transferrin
TIBC
Vitamin B12
Folic acid
Miscellaneous
Glucose
C-reactive protein
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
Uric acid
Arterial blood gases ([H+], PCO2, PO2)
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Toxicological screening and forensic toxicology (drugs and toxins)
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE)
fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
Nature of the work
Histopathology is the diagnosis and study of disease by expert medical
interpretation of cells and tissue samples. The specialty determines the
cause of death by performing autopsies and is integral to cancer
management through staging and grading of tumours.
Working in histopathology

Histopathologists work in the laboratory, both in partnership with laboratory

scientists and doctors from other clinical specialties. They have an in-depth
knowledge of both pathological and clinical aspects of disease. The
histopathologist is a member of the multidisciplinary team, assessing
cancer patients and planning their further investigation and treatment. He
or she also has key responsibilities for cancer screening currently for
breast and cervical cancer but with bowel and prostate cancer screening on
the horizon.
In many hospitals, biomedical scientists are undertaking more of the
routine cut-up of smaller specimens, and in some cases are also
conducting microscopic examination and report writing of cytological
samples. With an increasing ability to automate and mechanise laboratory
processes, there is the possibility that histopathology departments will no
longer be necessary at smaller hospitals, and work may be managed
centrally in dedicated histopathology centres with larger throughput
capacity.
Common procedures/interventions
Common procedures and interventions include:

examination and dissection of surgical resection specimens, to select

the most appropriate samples for microscope slides

microscopic examination of tissues, with subsequent construction of

clinical reports

carrying out fine-needle aspirations

carrying out autopsies.