Analysis of Urine and Body Fluids

Analysis of Urine and Body Fluids

• Objectives: Define quality assessment components in AUBF, differentiate internal QC types, explain automated urine analysis principles, distinguish manual, semi-automated, and fully automated methods, and enumerate automation advantages.
• Quality Assessment: Guarantees quality patient care through a regulated total testing system. Includes quality control (QC), pre-examination variables (specimen collection, handling, storage, reagent status, instrument calibration, maintenance, personnel requirements, and technical competence), examination variables (test performance, reporting of results), and post-examination variables (interpretation, turn-around time, documentation, and accreditation by agencies like JC, CAP).
• Quality System (QS): Adheres to ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001, and ISO 27001 standards for quality assurance, environmental management, and information security.
• Introduction to Automation: Automation in urine analysis has a long history, starting with Hippocrates.
• Ancient History: Hippocrates hypothesized urine as a humors' filtrate, and Galen refined this, suggesting it reflected overall body condition. Theophilus Protospatharius wrote about urine, and then Johannes de Ketham developed a self-diagnostic color wheel.
• Modern History: Jules Maumené developed the first test strip, George Oliver marketed urinary test papers, Fritz Feigl developed spot analysis techniques, and later, urine test strips became commercially available on a large scale. Automated analyzers and Combur-Test strips followed.
• Three Automated Methods: There are three methods for performing automated urine analysis.
  • Manual: The test is done entirely by hand. A strip is dipped into urine and compared to a chart.
  • Semi-Automated: The test strip is dipped into urine manually but the analysis is done by an instrument.
  • Fully Automated: The test is completely done by an instrument.
• Fully Automated Analyzers The sample is mixed, aspirated, diluted, and stained to analyze urine sediment particles. These systems perform complete physical, chemical, and microscopic analysis of urine.
• Principles of Automation: Photometry (measuring light), reflectance photometry (intensity of light reflection, inversely proportional to concentration), and turbidity (measurement of decreased light penetration due to suspended particles).
• Laser Flow Cytometry: Uses two fluorescent dyes to stain cellular elements, analyzes cell size, and internal cell structure, can differentiate bacteria.
• Refractometry: Measuring refractive index.
• Factors Influencing Light Scatter: Particle size, particle concentration, wavelength, molecular weight, polarization of incident light, and distance of observation affect light scattering.
• Automated Systems for Urine analysis: Various manufacturers produce automated analyzers, for both chemistry and microscopy
• Advantages of Automation: Minimizes labor, frees up operators, improves accuracy, and standardization.

Automated Analyzer Types

• Chemistry analyzers: Semi-automated and fully automated systems that use test strips for analyzing urine chemistry components.
• Microscopy analyzers: Fully automated systems that analyze urine sediment using microscopy.
• Hybrid systems: Systems that combine both chemistry and microscopy analysis in one unit.

Manual, semi-automated, and Fully Automated Testing Procedures

• Manual procedures: Briefly dipping test strips in urine, blotting, and comparing colors to charts.
• Semi-automated procedures: Dipping strips in hand, placing onto reagent platforms, and pressing the analysis button on the machine.
• Fully automated procedures: Test strips placed in the machine, automatically dipped, and analyzed, giving results in seconds.

This quiz covers the quality assessment components in automated urine and body fluid analysis. You'll learn about various quality control types, automated analysis principles, and the advantages of automation in testing. Delve into the quality systems set by international standards for improved patient care.