I'm just curious how others read their DAT's, microscopically or macroscopically?

if you performe it in tube, most be read microscopically but if is in gel macroscopically!

that´s how we in Costa Rica do it!

:cool:

Depends on the age of the tech and the sample. Cord Blood DATs are almost always read microscopically. Adult DATs will be read microscopically by "more experienced" techs. New tech and my self seldom use the microscope. Actually I'd like to get rid of it altogether. Causes too many unicorn hunts.

Amen on the unicorn hunts! We never use the microscope, but we do run both Gel and (IgG, AHG and C3d) in tubes. If it's not going to show up in Gel, it should not in tube. (compliment excluded) Also, we do not deal with any cord bloods. 95% percent of our DAT work is on donors.........not patients.

For tube DATs, I think it's important to read them microscopically if they are being done as part of a Transfusion Reaction workup.

DAT is the only test we require to look under microscope.

We do not do transfusion reaction work-ups for our hospitals. That would be one instance I could see it.