MCL

In August 2018, Mayo Medical Laboratories announced one new test along with numerous reference value changes, obsolete tests, and algorithm changes.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have revolutionized MRIs by increasing the clinical utility and detection sensitivity of these exams. GBCAs also contain gadolinium, a rare earth metal with unique chemical properties. This article discusses the recent discovery that small amounts of gadolinium remain in human brain tissue following intravenous administration of GBCAs.

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.

Many patients may have flare-ups of their disease, or they may stop responding to treatment. In these situations, the clinician may choose to increase the dose administered or recommend more frequent injections. One cause of decreased response to treatment is the appearance of anti-drug antibodies or “immunogenicity.”

Due to the Labor Day holiday, observed Monday, September 3, in the U.S., Mayo Medical Laboratories' specimen pickup and delivery schedules will be altered. To ensure that your specimen vitality and turnaround time are not affected, plan ahead, and note that no pickups or deliveries will be made on September 3 by our couriers, FedEx, or UPS.

This "Phlebotomy" webinar will provide an update of litigation trends affecting phlebotomists.

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Elitza Theel, Ph.D., will discuss diagnostic testing options for patients with suspected neuroinvasive Lyme disease or Lyme neuroborreliosis.

In July 2018, Mayo Medical Laboratories announced five new tests along with numerous reference value changes, obsolete tests, and algorithm changes.

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Bobbi Pritt, M.D., will talk about the different ticks that commonly bite humans, where they can be found, and how to avoid them.

In June 2018, Mayo Medical Laboratories announced three new tests along with numerous reference value changes, obsolete tests, and algorithm changes.

While online retailers experiment with drones as a way to swiftly deliver consumer purchases, laboratory medicine physicians and scientists have a lifesaving goal: using drones to rapidly deliver laboratory specimens.

High-sensitivity troponin T is a new assay recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This assay is most often used to evaluate patients with possible acute ischemic heart disease, but it also has a variety of uses in the more chronic setting.

In this month’s two-part “Hot Topic” series, Joaquin Garcia, M.D., and Tiffany Mainella, HTL(ASCP), review the main components of training clinical laboratory staff and discuss how to ensure your trainers are capable of instructing them.