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January 2017

With metagenomic sequencing, no pathogen can hide

January 2017—Detecting pathogenic organisms with PCR has become a staple of the clinical microbiology laboratory, so much so that it seems like it has always been there. A more advanced molecular technique—unbiased metagenomic next-generation sequencing—will increasingly become a part of infectious disease diagnosis because it has several advantages over PCR. While it will be demanding to perform at first, it, too, may become a standard method in the clinical microbiology laboratory.

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Cytopathology In Focus: CAP meets MOC with à la carte modules online

January 2017—It’s the end of the year, say, and you are just a few self-assessment modules, or SAMs, short of the required 20 in your area of expertise—anatomic pathology. You have to meet the requirements for the American Board of Pathology’s Maintenance of Certification and time-limited cytopathology and AP/CP certificates for each two-year reporting cycle. What to do?

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The what and why of diagnostic management teams

January 2017—Michael Laposata, MD, PhD, has been speaking for years about the need for laboratory consultations and diagnostic management teams, and he will lead the first formal meeting Feb. 7–8 in Galveston, Tex., on what the teams are and how to implement them. Writer Ron Shinkman put a few questions to him about diagnostic management teams and pathology practice. Dr. Laposata is a professor in and chairman of the Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston. Here’s what he said.

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Anatomic Pathology Abstracts, 1/17

January 2017—Drawbacks of reflex ER and PR analysis of DCIS in breast needle core biopsies; Analysis of eosinophils and mast cells of gastrointestinal tract in healthy children; Classifying gastric cancer into molecular subgroups; Clinicopathologic significance of mismatch repair defects in endometrial cancer; Use of immunostains to distinguish hepatic adenoma from hepatocellular carcinoma; Prognostic effect of PD-L1 expression patterns in cervical cancers; Variation in pattern-based classification of invasive endocervical adenocarcinoma

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Clinical Pathology Abstracts, 1/17

January 2017—Impact of laboratory cost display on resident attitudes and knowledge of costs: The Institute of Medicine report on health care quality recommends providing better care at lower costs. However, the United States has consistently seen rising health care costs instead of cost reductions. An approach to reducing unnecessary health care spending is to make physicians more aware of the cost of diagnostic tests.

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Q&A column, 1/17

January 2017—I have a technologist who is a recent graduate from a medical technology school. She has her BA but the school she attended did not offer an internship program. We are offering her one year of on-the-job training so she will be able to sit for her ASCP certification exam after completing the one year of training.

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Put It on the Board, 1/17

January 2017—Experts collaborate on evidence-based somatic variant classification system; FDA clears next-generation test for MRSA colonization; PMA approval granted for Aptima HIV-1 Quant; Henry Ford announces automation partnership; ArcherDX launches immune repertoire sequencing assays

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