Hematology

The standard laboratory test to diagnose multiple myeloma dates back to the Eisenhower administration. Research at Mayo Clinic spearheaded by David Murray, M.D., Ph.D. (PATH ’10), and fueled by his experience as an industrial chemist has led to a new assay to screen and diagnose the disease.

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Rajiv Pruthi, M.B.B.S., will discuss different types of hemophilia along with their pathologic basis. He will also cover various types of factor assays such as one stage and chromogenic factor assays for diagnosis and their role in management of hemophilia.

This week’s Research Roundup highlights an assay to rapidly screen for immunoglobulin light chain glycosylation: a potential path to earlier AL diagnosis for a subset of patients and several other research articles by Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists.

Our Mayo Clinic colleagues are in San Diego for the 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exhibition. Follow this blog for live updates from #ASH18 as we attend the conference, mingle with colleagues at booth #2927, and have a little fun.

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D., describes how pseudohyperkalemia has many causes, from collection techniques, processing, and even transport. This presentation focuses on the various preanalytic and analytic causes of pseudohyperkalemia and what you as a phlebotomist can do to prevent it.

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer, but most people haven’t heard of it until they or someone they know is diagnosed with the disease. March is Myeloma Action Month—a time to focus attention on the fight against multiple myeloma.

This week’s Research Roundup highlights high grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma morphology.

In this months "Hot Topic," Christopher Desens, MLS(ASCP) discusses the preparation of platelet-poor plasma for coagulation testing.

This algorithm can be viewed here.

October 8, 2017 | Rochester, Minnesota
This symposium is designed for any provider who treats patients with hematologic malignancies (e.g., oncologists, hematologists, and physician assistants), pathologists, hematopathologists, cytogeneticists, laboratory directors, genetic counselors, and laboratory technologists and support staff.

In this “Hot Topic,” William Nichols, M.D., presents a case study that demonstrates how pre- and postanalytic variables of the patient and blood samples can have confounding effects on the laboratory evaluation of coagulation disorders.

In this "Hot Topic," Dong Chen, M.D., Ph.D., describes how flow cytometry, electron micrographic study, and molecular testing are used to diagnose platelet function disorders.

The diagnosis of Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (MPN) must include an integrated approach and combine the clinical findings with laboratory results. In our latest “Hot Topic,” Rong He, M.D., discusses the subclassification of MPNs and the use of JAK2, CALR, and MPL mutational analysis in diagnosis and prognosis.