Chemical Pathology
Chemical Pathology is another discipline in the field of Pathology which deals with the entire range of disease. It encompasses detecting changes in a wide range of substances in blood and body fluids (electrolytes, enzymes and proteins) in association with many diseases. In addition, it involves detecting and measuring tumour (cancer) markers, hormones, poisons and both therapeutic and illicit drugs. For example Chemical Pathologists are involved in assessing levels of iron in the blood, measuring the levels of enzymes that are released into the blood after a heart attack to help in the diagnosis, and in the measurement of certain proteins produced by cancers to monitor the response to their treatment.
As with the other clinical pathology specialities, the largest part of a Chemical Pathologist’s day is typically spent in clinical liaison. This involves advising clinicians about the appropriate tests for the investigation of a particular clinical problem, the interpretation of results and follow-up, and the effect of interferences eg by therapeutic drugs on test results. The working day also has a large component devoted to the validation and interpretation of test results, particularly for unusually abnormal results or more uncommon and highly specialised tests.
Evaluation of new technology and the development of new tests is an ongoing process in Chemical Pathology. This applies particularly to areas that are now opening up, such as the use of molecular biology techniques in diagnostic tests. Specialist areas of interest include such topics as inherited metabolic diseases, trace metals and environmental monitoring, drugs of abuse, and nutrition.
Alcohol / Ammonia
Aqueous BSA – 3mL vials to assess alcohol ammonia measurements
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
Ethanol, Ammonia
Product details last updated on September 13, 2018
B-Natriuretic Peptide (BNP)
Lyophilised Serum – 0.5mL vials to assess B-type Natriuretic Peptide assays.
Note: May not be suitable for some POC analysers (e.g. h232)
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), N-terminal Prohormone B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP)
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
Bile Acids
Lyophilised Serum – 2mL vials to assess bile acids measurements
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
Total Bile Acids
Blood Gases
Aqueous Bovine Albumin Buffered Matrix – 2.5mL ampoules to assess related methods available on blood gas analysers.
Note: Abbott i-STAT and Siemens epoc devices requiring a haematocrit should enrol in the PoCT Blood and Gases Program.
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
pH, Potassium, Ionised Calcium, pCO2, Chloride, Urea, pO2, Glucose, Creatinine, Sodium, Lactate
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
Blood gases: CO-Oximetry
Lyophilised Bovine Haemoglobin – 0.5mL vials to assess performance for CO-Oximetry assay.
Note: This program is not suitable for Abbott i-STAT devices.
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
Haemoglobin, Oxyhaemoglobin, Carboxyhaemoglobin, Methaemoglobin
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
Serum – 0.5 mL vials to assess CRP from low to high levels
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys / 2 samples per survey
Tests
C-Reactive Protein
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
Compact Serum Chemistry (for Overseas Participants only)
Lyophilised Serum and Matching Diluent – 5mL vials to assess performance across a range of routine chemical pathology assays including therapeutic drugs and endocrine.
This program is ONLY available to participants outside Australia and New Zealand.
Frequency / Number of samples
6 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
| Albumin | Enzymes | Endocrine |
| Bicarbonate | ALT | Cortisol |
| Bilirubin – Total | Alkaline Phosphatase | Thyroxine |
| Bilirubin – Conjugated | Amylase | Free T4 |
| Calcium | AST | TSH |
| Chloride | Cholinesterase | Total T3 |
| Creatinine | Creatine Kinase | Free T3 |
| Fructosamine | CK-MB | hCG (quantitative) |
| Glucose | GGT | hCG (qualitative) |
| Lactate | Lactate Dehydrogenase | Drugs |
| Lithium | Lipase | Carbamazepine |
| Magnesium | Iron | Digoxin |
| Osmolality | TIBC | Paracetamol |
| Phosphate (Inorganic) | Transferrin | Phenobarbitone |
| Potassium | Ferritin | Phenytoin |
| Protein (Total) | Lipids | Salicylate |
| Sodium | Cholesterol | Theophylline |
| Urate | Triglyceride | Valproate |
| Urea | HDL Cholesterol | Gentamicin |
| Troponin I (quantitative) | Vancomycin | |
|
Troponin T (quantitative) Troponin T (semi-qualitative) Roche Cardiac reader only Troponin T (qualitative) |
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Note. Troponin T (semi-qualitative) on Roche Instruments. Participants using the Roche Cardiac Reader should enrol in the General Serum Chemistry Program. Participants using Roche Cobas h232 instruments should enrol in the PoCT Troponin Program. This is due to the different cut-offs, standardisation and units for these 2 instruments.
Product details last updated on August 13, 2019
Condensed Point of Care General Chemistry (for Australian and NZ Participants only)
Lyphophilised serum and Matching Diluent – 5mL vials to assess performance of a range of chemistry and endocrine assays.
This program is ONLY available to participants in Australia and New Zealand.
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
|
AST Bicarbonate Bilirubin – Total Bilirubin – Conjugated Calcium Chloride Cholesterol Creatine Kinase GGT Glucose HDL Cholesterol hCG (qualitative) Lactate Lactate Dehydrogenase Lipase
|
Lithium Magnesium Phosphate (Inorganic) Potassium Protein (Total) Sodium Triglyceride Urate Urea Troponin I (quantitative) Troponin T (quantitative) Troponin T (semi-quantitative, Roche Cardiac reader only) Troponin T Qualitative |
Product details last updated on August 29, 2019
Condensed Point-of-Care Testing: Blood Gases
Aqueous Bovine Albumin Buffered Matrix – 2.5mL ampoules designed to assess related methods available on I-Stat type analysers, not suited to Radiometer and Siemens type devices
Frequency / Number of samples
6 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
pH, Sodium, Glucose, Ionised Calcium, pCO2, Potassium, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit, , pO2, Chloride, Lactate, Creatinine, TCO2, Urea
Note: Suitable for devices such as the Abbott i-STAT and Siemens epoc devices.
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
Condensed Point-of-Care Testing: Troponin and HCG
Lyophilised Plasma – 1mL vials for assessment of Troponin Tand I and Total HCG on PoC devices
Frequency / Number of samples
6 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
Troponin I, Troponin T (semi-quantitative e.g. h232), Total HCG
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
Condensed Serum Chemistry (for Overseas Participants only)
Lyophilised Serum and Matching Diluent – 5mL vials to assess performance across a range of routine chemical pathology assays including therapeutic drugs and endocrine.
This program is ONLY available to participants outside Australia and New Zealand.
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
| Albumin | Enzymes | Endocrine |
| Bicarbonate | ALT | Cortisol |
| Bilirubin – Total | Alkaline Phosphatase | Thyroxine |
| Bilirubin – Conjugated | Amylase | Free T4 |
| Calcium | AST | TSH |
| Chloride | Cholinesterase | Total T3 |
| Creatinine | Creatine Kinase | Free T3 |
| Fructosamine | CK-MB | hCG (quantitative) |
| Glucose | GGT | hCG (qualitative) |
| Lactate | Lactate Dehydrogenase | Drugs |
| Lithium | Lipase | Carbamazepine |
| Magnesium | Iron | Digoxin |
| Osmolality | TIBC | Paracetamol |
| Phosphate (Inorganic) | Transferrin | Phenobarbitone |
| Potassium | Ferritin | Phenytoin |
| Protein (Total) | Lipids | Salicylate |
| Sodium | Cholesterol | Theophylline |
| Urate | Triglyceride | Valproate |
| Urea | HDL Cholesterol | Gentamicin |
| Troponin I (quantitative) | Vancomycin | |
|
Troponin T (quantitative) Troponin T (semi-qualitative) Roche Cardiac reader only Troponin T (qualitative) |
||
Note. Troponin T (semi-qualitative) on Roche Instruments. Participants using the Roche Cardiac Reader should enrol in the General Serum Chemistry Program. Participants using Roche Cobas h232 instruments should enrol in the PoCT Troponin Program. This is due to the different cut-offs, standardisation and units for these 2 instruments.
Product details last updated on August 13, 2019
CSF Chemistry
Lyophilised CSF – 2mL vials to assess common chemistry assays in a related CSF matrix
Frequency / Number of samples
12 surveys per year / 2 samples per survey
Tests
Total Protein, Immunoglobulin G, Glucose, Lactate, Albumin,
Xanthochromia Screen – Haemoglobin (absorbance & qualitative),
Xanthochromia Screen – Bilirubin (absorbance, concentration & qualitative)
Product details last updated on August 9, 2019
