Examples of reactions

[JOANBALONE]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for examples of reaction strength, i.e. 1+, 2+, mf, in gel and tube. We have charts in the laboratory but I would like to include examples in the SOP. Does anyone have examples to share?

Thanks,

JoanBalone

[TimOz]

Hi Joan,

I have some pocket cards with the tube and tile scores. PM me with your mailing address and I will send some in the post. I have some pdf images also but they are too big to attach to this post.

I don't have a good gel chart as we have a few kinds in routine use here like DiaMed, BioVue and Grifols.

Just a point for your training and use of scoring images.

I find that images can be enlightening in training but I also find that it isfar better to rely on the score definition. Tell staff to look at the verbal definition of the score rather than the pictures and this is less confusing. A score 2 can look like quite a few different reaction patterns depending on a range of factors such as antibody class, phase of the test etc. If the verbal definition is used, your staff should be more precise and all staff should score the same.

I find this the best way to train. Teach staff to gently and reproducibly tip and roll correctly and tell them there are 2 phases to scoring. Phase 1 is to look at the cells coming off the button at the beginning of the tip and roll procedure and decide if it is positive or negative. Cells streaming off like "smoke" is negative. Anything else is positive.

Phase 2 is to complete the tip and roll until the cell button is off the tube. Hold over an even light source and score. Iin summary, decide if it is positive or negative first and then decide how positive. Look at the number and size of agglutinates and if there are free cells. These 2 pieces of information define the score.

Also, (and this is a personal opinion) I think it best for all staff to record scores in exactly the same way.

Allowable scores are only: 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, (score)MF, H (for haemolysis)

No +++

No +/-, Tr, wk, etc

No 3+

This is not consistent to the AABB technical manual but I see lots of transcription variations in a lab and this can only lead to confusion and transcription error. Usually computer system will only want the score number as the input and it is not logical to score and write "2+" and they type "2" into a computer. This will end in an error.

Here is an "out there" suggestion. Why don't we dump the current system and have a 6 scale?

0 = 0

1 = 0.5

2 = 1

3 = 2

4 = 3

5 = 4

5 = H

and the score with MF for mixed field.

No more weak or trace or j button or flick. Always just the number.

[David Saikin]

you should be able to cut/paste the pictures from the Ortho CD on gel. That's what I did for my procedures. You could also literally cut/paste the pictures from the interp guide into your SOP.