Basic Clinical Tests

TEACHING UNIT 1. DESCRIPTION OF A LABORATORY.

1. Definition of a clinical laboratory.
2. Areas of a laboratory.
1. - Biochemistry.
2. - Immunology.
3. - Haematology department.
4. - Department of Microbiology and Parasitology.
3. Analysis of a sample.
1. - Processing a sample.
2. - Carrying out an analysis.
4. Procedures carried out in a laboratory.
1. - Sampling.
2. - Filtered.
3. - Desiccation.
4. - Gravimetry.
5. - Extraction.
6. - Distillation.
7. - Decanting.
8. - Chromatography.
9. - Colorimetric analysis.
10. - Centrifugation.

TEACHING UNIT 2. BASIC MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT USED IN THE CLINICAL LABORATORY.

1. Laboratory equipment.
1. - Glass material.
2. - Other materials.
2. Laboratory equipment.
1. - Scales.
2. - Microscope.
3. - Centrifuge.
4. - Piston pipettes or micropipettes.
5. - Toilets.
6. - Haematology analyser.
7. - Biochemical analyser.
8. - Autoclave.
9. - pH analysers.
10. - Chromatograph.

TEACHING UNIT 3. LABORATORY SAFETY AND RISK PREVENTION.

1. Introduction.
2. Laboratory safety.
1. - Laboratory organisation.
2. - Laboratory risks. Prevention.
3. - Disinfection and cleaning methods.
3. Pictograms in the laboratory.
4. ISO standards. Quality assurance.

TEACHING UNIT 4. COLLECTION, TRANSPORT, PROCESSING AND STORAGE OF SPECIMENS.

1. Introduction.
2. Origin of the specimens.
3. Identification.
4. Blood samples.
1. - Anticoagulants.
2. - Materials required for taking specimens/samples.
3. - Preparing the patient.
4. - Approaching the patient.
5. - Venipuncture.
5. Urine samples.
1. - Containers for specimens.
2. - Preservatives.
3. - Types of urine specimens.
4. - Instructions for collecting a urine sample.
5. - Specimen collection in children.
6. Cerebrospinal fluid samples.
7. Specimens of serous effusions.
1. - Pleural fluid.
2. - Ascetic fluid.
3. - Synovial fluid.
8. Amniotic fluid samples.
9. Semen samples.
10. Transport of specimens.
11. Processing of the specimens.
1. - Blood.
2. - Urine.
3. - Other biological fluids.

TEACHING UNIT 5. GENERAL CONCEPTS RELATING TO BLOOD.

1. Introduction.
2. Functions of the blood.
1. - Transport.
2. - Immunity.
3. - Haemostasis.
4. - Homeostasis.
3. Physical properties of blood.
1. - Volume.
2. - Density.
3. - Viscosity.
4. - Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
4. Haematopoietic system.
1. - Development of the haematopoietic system at different stages of life.
2. - Bone marrow.

TEACHING UNIT 6. BLOOD SAMPLES. HAEMATOLOGICAL VALUES.

1. Blood cell counting techniques.
1. - Red blood cell count.
2. - White blood cell count.
3. - Platelet count.
2. Haematological parameters.
1. - Haemoglobin (Hb) test.
2. - Determination of haematocrit (HCT).
3. - Blood counts.
4. - Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
5. - Osmotic resistance of red blood cells.
6. - Plasma and blood viscosity.
3. Tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of haemostatic disorders.
1. - Primary haemostasis tests.
2. - Secondary haemostasis tests.
3. - Fibrinolysis tests.

TEACHING UNIT 7. BLOOD SAMPLES FOR BIOCHEMISTRY.

1. Test for the determination of blood glucose.
1. - Interpretation of values outside the normal range.
2. - Method of analysis.
3. - Glucose tolerance test (glucose curve).
2. Blood albumin test.
3. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test.
1. - Methods of determination.
2. - Preparing the patient.
4. Blood uric acid test.
1. - Methods of determination.
5. Creatinine.
1. - Methods of determination.
6. Liver function tests.
1. - Enzymes and other markers of liver damage.
2. - Liver diseases.
7. Blood alpha-fetoprotein test.
8. Blood lipid profile.
1. - Techniques for determining total cholesterol.
2. - Measurement of HDL cholesterol.
3. - Measurement of LDL cholesterol.
4. - Measurement of triglycerides in the blood.
9. Electrolyte analysis.
1. - Ion determination.
2. - Measurement of pH and gases in arterial blood.

TEACHING UNIT 8. URINE ANALYSIS.

1. Urine samples.
2. General characteristics.
1. - Colour and appearance.
2. - Smell.
3. - PH.
4. - Volume.
5. - Density.
6. - Osmolarity.
3. Chemical analysis of urine.
1. - PH.
2. - Proteins.
3. - Glucose.
4. - Ketone bodies.
5. - Haematuria.
6. - Bilirubin and urobilinogen.
7. - Nitrites.
8. - Leukocytes.
9. - Creatinine clearance.
4. Urinary sediment analysis.
1. - Quantitative analysis of urinary sediment.
2. - Microscopic analysis of urinary sediment.
5. Urine culture.
1. - Quantitative culture.
2. - Qualitative cultivation.
6. Laboratory findings in renal pathology.
1. - Acute nephritis.
2. - Nephrotic syndrome.
3. - Kidney stones.
4. - Acute kidney failure.
5. - Chronic kidney failure.
6. - Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.
7. - Renal tubular acidosis.
8. - Polycystic kidney disease.
9. - Vascular disease.
10. - Urinary tract infections (UTIs).

TEACHING UNIT 9. ANALYSIS OF OTHER TYPES OF SAMPLES.

1. Stool samples.
1. - Macroscopic analysis.
2. - Chemical analysis.
3. - Analysis of food residues.
4. - Bacteriology.
2. Semen samples.
1. - Macroscopic examination.
2. - Microscopic examination.
3. - Biochemical analysis.
3. Samples from the lower respiratory tract (LRT).
1. - Collection and transport of TRI samples.
2. - Macroscopic analysis.
3. - Microscopic analysis.
4. Samples from the upper respiratory tract.
1. - Upper respiratory tract infections (pharynx and nasopharynx).
2. - Collection and transport of samples.
3. - Direct microscopic examination.
4. - Cultivation of TRS samples.
5. Conjunctival discharge.
1. - The most common eye conditions.
2. - Collection and transport of samples.
3. - Crops.
6. Ear discharge.
1. - Otitis externa.
2. - Otitis media.
7. Urethral and vaginal discharge.
1. - Collection and transport of samples.
2. - Microscopic examination.

TEACHING UNIT 10. ANALYTICAL ESSAYS.

1. Organoleptic analyses.
1. - Colour.
2. - Turbidity.
3. - Smell.
2. Immunological tests.
1. - Agglutination immunoassay.
2. - Immunoprecipitation.
3. - Immunofluorescence.
4. - Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
5. - Radioimmunoassay (RIA).
3. Microbiological analyses
1. - Dyes.
2. - Culture media and metabolic assays.
4. Automated analyses.
5. Data protection.

TEACHING UNIT 11. DRUG INTERFERENCES WITH THE PARAMETRES ANALYSED.

1. Introduction.
2. Anti-infectives and antiseptics.
1. - Anti-infectives and antiseptics for local oral treatment.
2. - Anti-infectives for systemic use.
3. Anti-ulcer drugs.
1. - Histamine H₂ receptor antagonists.
2. - Proton pump inhibitors.
4. Analgesics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatories.
5. Antihypertensives.
1. - Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
2. - Angiotensin antagonists.
3. - Calcium channel blockers.
4. - Diuretics.
6. Antiarrhythmics.
7. Lipid-lowering agents.
8. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines.
1. - Anxiolytics.
2. - Antidepressants.
9. Other medicines.
1. - Systemic hormonal contraceptives.
2. - Antihistamines.
3. - Cough suppressants.
4. - Vitamins and analogues.

TEACHING UNIT 12. INTERPRETING LABORATORY DATA I.

1. Haematology.
1. - Red blood cell count.
2. - White blood cell count.
3. - Platelet count.
4. - Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
2. Urine analysis.
3. Cerebrospinal fluid.
4. Pleural fluid.
5. Ascites fluid.
6. Synovial fluid.
7. Tumour markers.
1. - Calcitonin.
2. - Thyroglobulin.
3. - Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA).
4. - Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9).
5. - TAG-72 glycoprotein.
6. - Carbohydrate Antigen 50.
7. - Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
8. - Mucins in breast cancer.
9. - C-erb B2 oncoprotein or HER-2-neu.
10. - Beta subunit (C) of chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG).
11. - Carbohydrate Antigen 125 (CA 125).
12. - SCC antigen.
13. - Neuron-specific enolase.
14. - Cyfra 21.1.
15. - Prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
16. - Prostatic acid phosphatase.
17. - Capsular polypeptide antigen.

TEACHING UNIT 13. INTERPRETATION OF LABORATORY DATA II. INTERPRETATION OF CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY DATA.

1. Renal function.
1. - Urea.
2. - Creatinine.
3. - Uric acid.
2. Liver function.
1. - Aminotransferases.
2. - Alkaline phosphatase 400.
3. - Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT = GGT).
4. - 5’-nucleotidase.
5. - Bilirubin.
6. - Albumin.
7. - Alpha-1-antitrypsin.
8. - Haptoglobin.
9. - Ceruloplasmin.
10. - Alpha-fetoprotein.
11. - C-reactive protein.
3. Pancreatic function.
1. - Amylase in plasma and urine.
2. - Lipase.
4. Other enzymes and substances of diagnostic interest.
1. - Acid phosphatase.
2. - Delta-aminolevulinic acid.
3. - Lactic acid.
4. - Vanillylmandelic acid.
5. - 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid.
6. - Folic acid.
7. - Ammonia.
5. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
1. - Time-dependent release of cardiac enzymes following an AMI.
2. - Electrocardiogram for acute myocardial infarction.
3. - Other related tests.