Clinical Pathology

In Clinical Pathology, the Blood Bank was converted into a Transfusion Service and Donor Center with the adoption of Voluntary Blood Donation as a policy of the Institute. Regular mass blood donation activities complemented the blood donor pool and the Institute became one of the few private blood centers with 100% volunteer blood supply, a major factor in assuring blood safety. Its apheresis operations expanded to include therapeutic applications which save the lives of many patients with immunologic diseases not otherwise treatable with conventional means.

The Section of Cellular Immunology and Immunogenetics incorporates the two allied disciplines of Tissue Typing and Flow Cytometry. DNA tissue typing was added to the armamentarium to provide better delineation of HLA. Applications for Flow Cytometry now include Leukemia/Lymphoma immunophenotyping, Immune deficiency monitoring, DNA ploidy analysis, Flow PRA and Nocturnal Paroxysmal Hematuria diagnosis. Tissue typing was useful for Paternity testing and after 12 years, it was supplanted by STR-DNA testing in 1999. Another application of STR-DNA testing is for engraftment analysis of bone marrow transplant patients, another first for the Institute.

The Section of Clinical Immunology and Serology has the most extensive menu of tests in the country and is well equipped with the latest and most advanced immunology analyzers. The Clinical Microscopy section was the first to automate urine sediment analysis. The Microbiology section has automated blood culture, TB culture, and bacterial identification and sensitivity testing. Its Chemistry section is perhaps the busiest in the country and uses the best automated chemistry analyzers.