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Laboratory Test Techniques
137 techniques from every department – principle, specimen, procedure, results and common pitfalls.
Urinalysis & Body Fluids
24-hour urine collectionCSF cell count and analysisFecal occult blood test (guaiac and FIT)Semen analysisSynovial and serous fluid analysis (overview)Urine dipstick (reagent strip) analysisUrine microscopy (sediment examination)Urine pregnancy test (hCG)
Blood Bank
ABO forward and reverse grouping (tube method)Antibody identification panelColumn agglutination (gel card) technologyCrossmatch (immediate spin and AHG)Direct antiglobulin test (DAT)Elution and adsorption (overview)Indirect antiglobulin test / antibody screenRh(D) typing and weak D testing
Coagulation
Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)Bleeding time (Ivy method)D-dimerFibrinogen assay (Clauss method)Mixing study (correction test)Platelet aggregation studiesProthrombin time (PT) and INRThrombin time
Molecular Biology
Agarose gel electrophoresisDNA sequencing (Sanger and NGS overview)DNA/RNA extractionFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)GeneXpert (cartridge-based NAAT)Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)Real-time PCR (qPCR)Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR)
Microbiology
Albert's stain (metachromatic granules)Anaerobic culture (overview)Auramine–rhodamine fluorescent stain (AFB)Bile solubility testBlood culture (automated systems)CAMP testCatalase testCitrate utilization testCoagulase testDNase testGiemsa stainGram stainIndia ink preparationIndole testKirby–Bauer disk diffusionMALDI-TOF identification (overview)McFadyean reactionMethyl red and Voges–Proskauer testsMIC testing (broth microdilution and gradient strip)Motility test (hanging drop and semisolid agar)Optochin testOxidase testPYR testSpore stain (Schaeffer-Fulton)Streak plate method for isolationTriple sugar iron (TSI) agarUrease testUrine culture and colony countZiehl-Neelsen (acid-fast) stain
Clinical Chemistry
Arterial blood gas analysisBilirubin (Jendrassik–Grof / diazo method)Chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA)Chromatography (TLC, HPLC, GC-MS)Creatinine (Jaffe and enzymatic methods)Enzyme kinetic assays (ALT, AST, ALP)Flame photometryGlucose estimation (GOD-POD method)HbA1c (HPLC and immunoassay)Ion-selective electrodes (Na, K, Cl)Lipid profile (enzymatic methods)Nephelometry and turbidimetryOral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)Osmometry (freezing point depression)Serum protein electrophoresisSpectrophotometry (Beer–Lambert law)
Immunology & Serology
ASO titreC-reactive protein (latex and quantitative)Complement fixation testELISAFlow cytometry (CD4 count and immunophenotyping)Hemagglutination inhibition testImmunochromatographic rapid tests (lateral flow)Indirect immunofluorescence (ANA)Latex agglutination testsLepromin testMantoux test (tuberculin skin test)Radial immunodiffusion and Ouchterlony double diffusionSkin prick testTPHA / TPPAVDRL and RPR testsWestern blotWidal test
Laboratory Operations
Autoclaving and sterilizationBiosafety cabinet useCentrifugationLevey–Jennings chart and Westgard rulesLight microscope use and carePipetting and pipette calibrationVenipuncture and order of draw
Hematology
Automated CBC (impedance and flow cytometry)Bone marrow aspirate smearDifferential leukocyte countESR (Westergren method)G6PD screening (fluorescent spot test)Hemoglobin electrophoresisHemoglobin estimation (cyanmethemoglobin method)Kleihauer–Betke testMalaria thick and thin filmsManual platelet countManual WBC count (hemocytometer)Osmotic fragility testPacked cell volume (microhematocrit)Peripheral blood smear preparationPerls' Prussian blue stain (iron)Red cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC)Reticulocyte count (supravital stain)Romanowsky staining (Leishman / Wright)Sickling test and Hb solubility test
Histopathology & Cytology
DecalcificationFine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)Frozen sectionHematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stainImmunohistochemistry (IHC)Microtomy (section cutting)Papanicolaou (Pap) stainPeriodic acid–Schiff (PAS) stainTissue fixation (formalin)Tissue processing and paraffin embedding