Hot Topic

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D., will cover the need and evidence behind following the order of draw recommendations for routine blood collection. Specifically, does evidence demonstrate a need to collect serum tubes before either potassium EDTA or citrate tubes?

By Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D. • February 12, 2019

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Robin Patel, M.D., discusses how matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry works for bacterial identification, including the strengths and limitations of this technology. She also covers Mayo Clinic’s experience with the technology in the clinical laboratory.

By Robin Patel, M.D. • January 15, 2019

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” a group of clinical laboratory technologists from Mayo Clinic’s Component Laboratory discusses a new tool to help standardize acceptable color variation for plasma products.

By Manish Gandhi, M.D. • December 4, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Robin Patel, M.D., will discuss the importance of accurate diagnosis of prosthetic-joint infection and its management, focusing on the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and definition of arthroplasty failure, as well as discuss diagnostic strategies.

By Robin Patel, M.D. • November 5, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Robin Patel, M.D., will discuss the bacteria that cause pertussis, also known as whooping cough. Pertussis is highly contagious and spreads rapidly through families, schools, and hospitals. While adults and children may have relatively mild symptoms, the disease can be deadly for infants and newborns.

By Robin Patel, M.D. • October 1, 2018

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.

By Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D. • September 10, 2018

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.

By Elitza Theel • August 20, 2018

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.

By Bobbi Pritt • August 6, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” my colleagues, Dr. Katherine Geiersbach and Dr. Beiyun Chen, will provide information about the 2018 Focused Update of the ASCO/CAP guidelines for HER2 testing in breast cancer.

By MCL Education • July 2, 2018

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.

By MCL Education • June 4, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D., presents a case-based scenario on drawing blood from a patient receiving intravenous fluids.

By Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D. • May 7, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Robin Patel, M.D., will review the laboratory methods used to diagnose infectious endocarditis. Specifically, she’ll discuss the role of blood cultures, nucleic acid amplification tests, histopathology, and recently, broad-range bacterial sequencing, and how these methods can assist in the diagnosis of this disease.

By Robin Patel, M.D. • April 2, 2018

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Melissa Snyder, Ph.D., will review the diagnostic testing algorithms for celiac disease and highlight the advantages and limitations of certain tests, including serology and genetic assays.

By MCL Education • March 5, 2018