Immunohaematology
What this test for?
To determine an individual’s blood group, to establish whether a person is blood group A, B, AB, or O and whether he or she is Rh positive or Rh negative
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
To detect the presence of unexpected antibodies, especially alloantibodies in the serum to antigens of the non-ABO blood group system: Duffy, Kell, Kidd, MNS, P, and certain Rh types that are considered clinically significant.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Cross matching is a procedure performed prior to a blood transfusion to determine whether donor whole blood is compatible (or incompatible) with recipient blood. This involves testing the patient’s serum with donor cells to determine whether the patient has an antibody which may cause a haemolytic transfusion reaction or decreased cell survival of donor cells.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 2 hours
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Cross matching is a procedure performed prior to a blood transfusion to determine whether donor packed cell is compatible (or incompatible) with recipient blood. This involves testing the patient’s serum with donor cells to determine whether the patient has an antibody which may cause a haemolytic transfusion reaction or decreased cell survival of donor cells.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 2 hours
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Cross matching is a procedure performed prior to a blood transfusion to determine whether donor whole blood is compatible (or incompatible) with recipient blood. This involves testing the patient’s serum with donor cells to determine whether the patient has an antibody which may cause a haemolytic transfusion reaction or decreased cell survival of donor cells.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Cross matching is a procedure performed prior to a blood transfusion to determine whether donor packed cell is compatible (or incompatible) with recipient blood. This involves testing the patient’s serum with donor cells to determine whether the patient has an antibody which may cause a haemolytic transfusion reaction or decreased cell survival of donor cells.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 1hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
• As an alternative to Factor VIII concentrate in the treatment of inherited deficiencies of:
— von Willebrand Factor (von Willebrand’s disease)
— Factor VIII (haemophilia A)
— Factor XIII
• As a source of fibrinogen in acquired coagulopathies: e.g. disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
It contains plasma proteins and all of the other clotting factors (including II, VII, IX, and X). It can be used for all of the same indications as FFP except for Hemophilia A and Von Willebrand’s disease. It is particularly useful for coagulopathies such as warfarin poisoning and Hemophilia B (Factor IX deficiency).
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
To detect sensitised red cells i.e. coated with antibody. This indicates that there are circulating antibodies directed against the patient’s red cells. These antibodies can cause a haemolytic anaemia and may indicate Auto Immune Haemolytic Anaemia (AIHA) where the patient has autoantibodies or in infants, Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) .
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT)
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
• For replacement of multiple coagulation factor deficiencies: e.g. liver disease, warfarin (anticoagulant) overdose and depletion of coagulation factors in patients receiving large volume transfusions.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
A sample for ‘Group, Screen and Hold ’ means that the patient is ABO and Rh (D) typed, screened for the presence of clinically significant antibodies and then the sample is stored at 4°C for a maximum of 7 days. During this period the sample can be used for compatibility testing at the request of the medical practitioner.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT) and Tube Haemagglutination Method
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Also known as the Indirect Anti-Globulin Test(IDAT). It is performed on the patient’s serum with “RBC-Reagent Cells” or washed, pooled group O RBCs (which are supposed to contain all the various types of alloantigens). The test is used to detect the present of any immune alloantibodies. This testing technique forms the basis of the cross- matching test used in the blood transfusion practice.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Method: Column Agglutination Technology (CAT)
Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
Treatment of bleeding due to, thrombocytopenia, Platelet function defects and prevention of bleeding due to thrombocytopenia, such as in bone marrow failure.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Turnaround Time: Routine: 2 hours, Urgent: 30 minutes
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form
What this test for?
To treat acute hemorrhage secondary to thrombocytopenia or to provide prophylaxis from hemorrhage in patients with bone marrow aplasia. Same as recovered donor platelets, but ABO compatibility is more important: high titre anti-A or anti-B in the donor plasma used to suspend the platelets may cause haemolysis of the recipient’s red cells.
Specimen & Container: Serum (plain tubes) or plasma (EDTA), 3 mL
Transportation Requirement: 2-8 Celcius within 1 hour
Test Schedule: Daily, 24hrs
Turnaround Time: 2 hours
Laboratory Request Form: Transfusion Medicine Form