Schedules & Abstracts
2018
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Laboratory Safety
1-9-2018
Jacqueline Brooks
Cunningham Pathology
The live presentation will be on January 9, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Just knowing the safety policies is not enough to ensure that they will be followed. The best defenses against a job related accident are concentration on the work at hand and an attitude that an accident is always possible, even in the most innocuous procedures. We want the attendees to realize that while inexperience may be a cause of some accidents, others may be a result of ignoring known risks, haste, carelessness, fatigue or mental preoccupation.
The safety officer and/or safety committee should conduct periodic surveys/inspections of the laboratory to ensure that staff members are properly complying with procedures and that there are no unexpected hazards. We will stress the penalties that can be imposed for not following the enforcement authority regulations. It can be confusing with all the government regulations but we need to keep in mind that the regulations were put into place to keep us safe in the workplace.
We will review the safety portion of the CAP checklist and emphasize how to meet the standards. We will review space, environment, safety policies, procedures and records. One of the most common violations seen is lack of good record keep and training. We hope this presentation will help the participants ensure that their labs are operating safely at all times.
Title: Fixation
Program Number: 23661
Event: Aurora Diagnostics Webinar Series
Date of Program: 02/13/18
The live presentation will be on February 13, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
With our busy laboratories and the push to get test results out a quickly as possible sometimes we need to be reminded of the basic theory of fixatives and how rushing the process will limit the quality of the end product.
We often get STAT specimens and are sometime tempted to cut down on fixation time to get the specimen processed and slides out to the Pathologist. It is good practice to review basic Histology for time to time to remind ourselves of the limitations of the fixatives we utilize in our laboratories.
Fixation is the first step in producing quality diagnostic slides. It is important to understand the functions of fixative, actions of fixative and the factors influencing fixation. This presentation will review basic fixation and the importance of following fixation guidelines.
We will also review HER 2 fixation guidelines with emphasis on CAP checklist questions. We hope the attendees will better understand the limits and importance of fixation. Fixation should never be rushed and standard practices should always be followed
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Hematologic Specimens and the H&E
03/13/18
Jacqueline Brooks
The presentation will be on March 13, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Our laboratory added a FLOW department in 2012 and since that time we have learned a lot about preparing H&E slides for our Hematopathologits. It has been a struggle to get the Histology staff to realize that just because the Pathologist signing out routine cases think the Histology meets their needs the Hematopathologist are approaching the cases with a different set of requirements. While most Pathologists are looking for structural patterns the Hematopathologist is looking at nuclear detail and this detail must be sharp and crisp.
During our validation phase we tried several different fixatives and Zinc Formalin was our final choice. Zinc Formalin seems to give us the crisper nuclear detail needed to make a diagnosis. We also use Formic acid decal as this is a gentler decal solution.
We will present several H&Es and discuss the morphology. We will also compare a routine skin H&E to a Bone Marrow H&E. It is important to understand that the HemePath will be looking at the nuclear detail under higher magnification than the Pathologist signing out routine Histology.
We will review the standard steps taken in the Histology Laboratory in preparing the H&E slide and the troubleshooting steps that must be taken to ensure quality slides are presented to the Pathologist.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Leg Pathology
4-10-2018
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Wally Rosene
The live presentation will be on April 10, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
In the routine Histology lab legs are often submitted for evaluation. These specimens are often received fresh and must be submitted in a timely manner. Often time the leg is already autolyzed and putrefaction has set in. This makes for a messy specimen to address. It takes a well-trained grossing tech to adequately describe and dissect this specimen types. You must have a god working knowledge of the anatomy of the leg to include: muscles, bones, nerves and vessels. This presentation will review the anatomy of the leg and the reasons for amputation to include the difficulties faced by the grossing technologists. The diabetic leg will be discussed in depth. We even receive legs with maggots and scores that must be described and addressed. Long term storage of the legs can be a challenge for some labs but fortunately we have a freezer for long term storage. Also transportation to the laboratory will be address.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Competency and Training Documentation
5-09-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on May 9, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
In my opinion to fully understand how to prepare for a CAP inspection or any of the other Laboratory Regulatory inspections you must understand how the system works. I often hear people say “I am CAP not CLIA” or “I am TJC not CLIA” not understanding that all laboratories that doe patient testing for the purpose of patient treatment must have a CLIA license. It is surprising how many laboratory professionals are unaware of the government regulatory requirements and which agency is responsible for ensuring that all laboratory tests are performed correctly.
CMS does not inspect laboratories but gives deemed status to inspecting agencies to perform the inspections. All laboratories must be inspected every two years by a deemed inspecting agency. All laboratories must have a CLIA license to bill for tests and to obtain a CLIA license you must be inspected by a deemed inspecting agency. This agency could be CLIA or another deemed agency.
There are five types of CLIA certificates and the type you will have if you are a CAP lab is a certificate of compliance. That means that CAP will inspect your laboratory not CLIA even though CLIA has the right to inspect and actually inspects a percentage of laboratories with a certificate of compliance to ensure the inspecting agency if fulfilling the CMS requirements.
When you choose to acquire a CAP certificate you must first fill out an application, your application will include your testing volume be used by your inspection team to ensure you meet the CAP requirements. Remember CAP does not make the regulations the interrupt the regulations made by the government (CMS) and inspections on their interruption.
You will receive the CAP checklist questions and these include “Evidence of Compliance” which will guide you in ensuring the standard is met. You should have your policies and procedures cross indexed with the checklist questions to ensure a smooth inspection process.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Preparing for CAP with Emphasis on Cytology
6-11-2018
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Objectives: List three educational objectives for your program.
1. CAP checklists can be confusing when trying to address standards in the All Common, Lab General and specific departments. This presentation will compare the All Common and Cytopathology pointing out overlapping standards.
2. It is common for the Histology department to process Cytology specimens and Cytology processing is even on the HT/HTL ASCP certification exam. This presentation will review the CAP guidelines in the Cytopathology checklist.
3. This presentation will review the personnel requirements, workload requirements and documentation requirements in the Cytology department in an effort to increase the knowledge base of all departments.
Abstract: Written abstract should include program description and be submitted in publication format. Recommend 150-200 words or 10-15 typed lines. Type abstract below, or include as a separate attachment.
The live presentation will be on June 12, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
When we apply for CAP accreditation and receive the CAP checklist we usually only address the sections relating to the department in which we work. It is important to understand that not only do we need to address the standards in the section specific checklist but also the All Common and Lab General. You must make sure you do not have conflicting procedures and must ensure all checklist standards have been addressed. Often there is confusion about certification requirements for different staff members. We will address the fact that Cytotechnologist must be ASCP certified in all States but other high complexity testers only need to have the educational requirements for High complexity testing and documented training and competency unless you live in a State with State Licensure that have additional requirements. At Aurora Diagnostics we require all our Histology Supervisors to be ASCP certified and we want to stress that this is an Aurora requirement not a CMS requirement.
We hope by reviewing the Cytotopathology checklist and comparing it to the All Common the attendees will have a better understanding of the CAP process. We will also review the application requirements for CAP accreditation.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
DNA Sequencing in Molecular Diagnosis
7-10-2018
Catherine I. Dumur, PhD, TS (ABB)
Objectives
1. This presentation will introduce the concept of DNA sequencing and the different technologies, including Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), available for generating DNA sequences.
2. In addition, this presentation will illustrate the role of DNA sequencing in Molecular Diagnostics
3. Finally, this presentation will discuss the role of NGS in the management of oncology patients in the era of precision medicine.
Abstract
The live presentation will be on July 10, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide power point show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing is one of the key technologies that allowed the development of the molecular biology field. There are several application of DNA sequencing, both to detect mutations causing inherited disorders, as well as in the somatic variants in cancer. The evolution of DNA sequencing technologies will be discussed, starting from dideoxy terminator sequencing developed by Sanger that enabled the success of the Human Genome Project, up to the latest next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms currently used in Molecular Diagnostics. The versatility of current DNA sequencing techniques, along with the increased affordability and reliability of NGS, has led to the integration of genomics into clinical practice. The role of this technology to assist in diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of response to treatment, generally referred to as precision medicine, will be discussed.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Knowing your target with emphases on p16
8-14-2018
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on August 14, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
When asked to add p16 to our IHC library, a lot of questions came to mind. First we needed to find a vendor and research if it is cost effective to bring in to the laboratory. Then after deciding to bring in we needed to fully understand the package insert, find specimens that qualify for validation and research with the input of the pathologist. In researching the antibody it became clear that you needed to fully understand the cell cycle, basic molecular concepts and of course understand IHC staining. This presentation will cover all of the above with the hope that the audience will benefit from the knowledge when brining on new antibodies and gain a better appreciation for p16.
Objectives:
1. Review the basics of bringing in a new antibody
2. Discuss p16 antibody and it’s staining performance
3. Discuss basic cell cycle and IHC principles
General Abstract
Colon Cancer
September 11, 2018
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on September 11, 2018 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
As I get older and realize the importance of cancer prevention and screening tests I wanted to know as much as I could about colon cancer. I have always known that Histology played an important role in the diagnosis of colon cancer and wanted to share this information with the Aurora Educational Series audience.
First of all what is colon cancer, what are the risk factors and what are the screening tests? What tests do we perform in the laboratory that can help in the management of colon cancer patients? We will use case studies to present the gross appearance and discuss the important of proper grossing techniques as they pertain to colon cancer specimens. Our expert PA will discuss methods used to identify the lymph nodes that are so very important in staging colon cancers. We then will review the microscopic appearance of colon cancer comparing it to normal colon tissue. The special stains and IHC stains utilized will also be reviewed.
We hope the participants’ gain a better knowledge of the facts surrounding colon cancer and the important role the laboratory plays in not only diagnosing colon cancer but also in the managed cared of the patient.
2017
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Tuberculosis
1-10-2017
Jacqueline Brooks & Stephen Hodges
Cunningham Pathology
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website (http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on January 10, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
Recently we completed our annual TB skin test at which time we I was asked why we had to take the test. We also had two staff member that had false positive results. Because I had so many questions about TB and the test I thought an educational series on TB would best answer everyone’s questions.
Consumption, phthisis, scrofula, Pott’s disease, and the White Plague are all terms used to refer to tuberculosis throughout history. Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria that are spread through the air from person to person. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. People infected with TB bacteria who are not sick may still need treatment to prevent TB disease from developing in the future.
TB bacteria most commonly grow in the lungs, and can cause symptoms such as:
• A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
• Pain in the chest
• Coughing up blood or sputum
TB transmission has been documented in health care settings where workers and patient come in contact with people who have TB disease. Periodic testing of health care workers is recommended as part of a TB Infection Control Plan.
TB tests include:
• TB skin test
• Blood tests
• Imaging tests
• Sputum tests
If a biopsy is performed we can then do a AFB stain in the histology lab. The AFB stain will be reviewed along with the corresponding CPT codes.
We hope by the end of the presentation the participants will have a better understanding of TB.
Title: Microscopic Tissue Identification
Program Number: 23383
Event: Aurora Diagnostics Webinar Series
Date of Program: 02/14/17
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website (http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on February 14, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
The ability to identify tissue types microscopically is one of the skills a well-trained histotech should possess. When we think of Histology we think of microtomy, embedding, gross and staining but forget that being able to identify tissue on the slide is also a very important skill. We hope this presentation will inforce the importance of being able to identify the different tissue types as well as the importance of a quality H&E. To obtain an accurate diagnosis the first step in the AP laboratory is a quality H&E slides. To ensure we are producing a quality slide for microscopic interruption we must be able to QC the slides and know what the final product should look like microscopically. Unfortunately we still have staff members that cannot identify the four basic tissue types and we are hoping this histology review will help. It has been many years since I took Histology as an undergraduate but I still remember hours spent at the microscope until I felt comfortable with microscopic tissue identification.
A quality slide begins at tissue extraction followed by gross, processing, embedding, microtomy, staining, coverslipping and the ability to identify the tissue microscopically to determine if all processes where performed correctly. It is and always has been our goal to provide quality patient care and we do this by producing quality slides for microscopic evaluation, we should never forget how important the histotech is in the care of the patient.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
STI Cytology and Molecular Testing
03/14/17
Jacqueline Brooks, Paula Goulet and Rebecca Robertson
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on March, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected]). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
We recently revised all our requisitions and in doing so it came to my attention that not all staff members understood the test orders especially when it came to the Gynecological Requisition. Our Gynecological Requisition includes multiple molecular testing platforms / panels to choose from as well as many cytology testing choices. Why would a patient need an order of “PAP with reflex HPV if ASC-US as opposed to HPV Genotyping Only and what does this mean to the patient?
Why is the physician ordering routine tests, panels, reflex tests, etc. We hope this presentation will clarify ordering processes for patient care as well as explain the testing methodologies. We will be discussing the different STIs and their clinical significance. We will compare the pap smear microscopic presentation of STIs and review the molecular testing as well as the different testing platforms.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Genetic Testing
4-11-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Sherry Gilbreath, Data Entry Supervisor (CF Mom)
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on April 11, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
Last month we reviewed the STI testing offered on our GYN requisition, this month we will review the Genetic Testing offered to our patients. Genetic testing plays such an important role in patient management and treatment but few of our staff members really understand the reasons behind the testing and the methodologies.
This presentation will explain genetic testing, the different testing methodologies, and some of the disease processes that are diagnosed utilizing genetic testing. Genetic testing identified changes in chromosomes, genes or proteins. In the past, the main genetic tests searched for abnormal chromosome numbers and mutations that lead to rare, inherited disorders. Today, test involve analyzing multiple genes to determine the risk of developing specific diseases or disorders, with the more common diseases consisting of heart disease and cancer. The results of a genetic test can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder.
As the number of genetic tests has expanded rapidly over the last decade, so have the different types of genetic testing methodologies used. The type of test employed depends on the type of abnormality being measured. In general, three categories of genetic testing-cytogenetic, biochemical and molecular- are available to detect abnormalities in chromosome structure, protein function and DNA sequence, respectively. All categories will be reviewed.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Preparing for a CAP Inspection
5-09-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on May 9, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
In my opinion to fully understand how to prepare for a CAP inspection or any of the other Laboratory Regulatory inspections you must understand how the system works. I often hear people say “I am CAP not CLIA” or “I am TJC not CLIA” not understanding that all laboratories that doe patient testing for the purpose of patient treatment must have a CLIA license. It is surprising how many laboratory professionals are unaware of the government regulatory requirements and which agency is responsible for ensuring that all laboratory tests are performed correctly.
CMS does not inspect laboratories but gives deemed status to inspecting agencies to perform the inspections. All laboratories must be inspected every two years by a deemed inspecting agency. All laboratories must have a CLIA license to bill for tests and to obtain a CLIA license you must be inspected by a deemed inspecting agency. This agency could be CLIA or another deemed agency.
There are five types of CLIA certificates and the type you will have if you are a CAP lab is a certificate of compliance. That means that CAP will inspect your laboratory not CLIA even though CLIA has the right to inspect and actually inspects a percentage of laboratories with a certificate of compliance to ensure the inspecting agency if fulfilling the CMS requirements.
When you choose to acquire a CAP certificate you must first fill out an application, your application will include your testing volume be used by your inspection team to ensure you meet the CAP requirements. Remember CAP does not make the regulations the interrupt the regulations made by the government (CMS) and inspections on their interruption.
You will receive the CAP checklist questions and these include “Evidence of Compliance” which will guide you in ensuring the standard is met. You should have your policies and procedures cross indexed with the checklist questions to ensure a smooth inspection process.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Basic IHC
6-13-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on May 9, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
Everyone that works in today’s laboratory has heard of IHC stains. We hope this presentation will give everyone in the laboratory a better understanding of the method and the importance the IHC plays in quality patient care. To understand IHC stains you first must have a basic understanding of the antibody. With the understanding of the antibody and how it can be utilized for patient testing you can better appreciate the testing performed in the histology laboratory.
When you say IHC staining do you realize the numerous methods utilized in today’s laboratory? We will review some of the basic IHC techniques including: Direct vs indirect staining, PAP method, ABC Method, LSAB Method and Polymeric Methods. Few people in the laboratory really realize that there is more to the stain than just cutting a slide and loading onto an IHC stainer. We hope this presentation will not only give information but hopefully get more staff members interested in only only performing the stain but also becoming Q IHC certified.
We will also review Quality control and Validation requirements. There is more to producing quality IHC slides than cutting a slides and loading onto a machine. To ensure quality patient care we must ensure that all tests performed have been validated and controlled. Microscopic evaluation of controls is part of IHC training that needs to be emphasized.
This will be the first of a three part series on IHCs. We are starting with the basics then will move to more microscopic presentation, IHC panels then move to more advanced troubleshooting.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
IHC Staining
7-11-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on July 11, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
This is the second part of a three part series on IHC staining. The June presentation reviewed the basic concepts of the IHC stain. This month (July) we will review staining protocols stressing the importance of following validated protocols for your location as IHC stains are not a one size fits all situation. Many factors will influence the protocol that works best for your facility. Fixation as stated in the June presentation will influence the outcome the most. Other factors such as processing procedures, staining platforms and the antibody itself are considered for each protocol. Some protocols will require blocking and some will not, some protocols will require antigen retrieval and some will not. The Antibody time will need to be adjusted for your facility. As we build a staining protocol we will take into consideration a number of factors. Protocols may need to be adjusted when factors changes such as the clone.
Understanding how to build a staining protocol will help you understand how to troubleshoot the stain. We will review a few of the staining protocols utilized at our facility with emphasis on how the protocol was validated. We hope this presentation will prepare the attendees for the next and final in this series “Troubleshooting IHC”.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
IHC Troubleshooting
8-08-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
This is the third part of a three part series on IHC staining. The June presentation reviewed the basic concepts of the IHC stain. In July we reviewed staining protocols stressing the importance of following validated protocols for your location as IHC stains are not a one size fits all situation.
Understanding how to build a staining protocol will help you understand how to troubleshoot the stain. Immunohistochemistry is a multi-step process that requires specialized training in the processing of tissue, the selection of appropriate reagents and interpretation of the stained tissue sections. Because of its highly complex nature, the causes of unexpected negative reactions, undesired specific staining or undesired background can be difficult to isolate. The presentation will cover the most common issues that arise in the IHC lab and the appropriate corrective action to take. The overall theme is that standardization and following validated protocol is a must to achieve quality consistent results in the IHC laboratory.
General Abstract
The Gram Stain
September 12, 2017
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Wally Rosene, PA (ASCP)
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website
(http://www.auroradx.com/edutraining/) at 1 pm EST on September 12, 2017. We are expecting approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All questions and comments will be addressed via email ([email protected] ). Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
Most routine Histology laboratories perform a gram stain and as we all know finding a control that shows both gram negative and gram positive bacteria can be difficult. To understand the necessity for a quality control you must understand the stain and the bacterial classification. While newer costly bacterial identification methods are being explored, the gram stain is an inexpensive diagnostic tool that aids in immediate and accurate treatments for bacterial infections. Histologically, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Gram stains have been employed, but are far from optimal when analyzing tissue samples due to non-specific staining. It is our job as Histo-techs to everything in our power to cut down or possibly eliminate the non-specific staining and to do this we must have a full understanding of the stain.
The gram stain easily divides bacteria into two groups, Gram-positive and Gram-negative, on the basis of their cell wall and cell membrane permeability. The mechanism further implies that solvent decolorization causes significant damage to the cell surfaces of Gram-negative bacteria and only limited damage to Gram-positive bacteria. This suggests Gram negative bacteria are more “leaky,” causing these thin-walled lipid-rich cells to lose their crystal violet stain and appear red from the counterstain. Gram-positive cells, thick walled and lipid-poor, appear blue form retaining the original crystal violet. The Gram stain is not an infallible tool for diagnosis, identification, or phylogeny, however. In some instances it is limited and is replaced by molecular techniques.
Objectives
1. The Gram stain is a common stain performed in most laboratories and is often not fully understood. We will review the importance of the gram stain as it pertains to patient care and treatment.
2. The steps in the gram stain will be reviewed with explanation of each step. We hope this will help the attendees understand and be able to troubleshoot common problems with the stain.
3. This presentation will also review bacteria classification to help the attendees better understand the stain
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Breast Cancer
October 10, 2017
The live presentation will be on October 10, 2017 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
This educational series will feature the latest fixation requirements and how proper fixation is a must to ensure a correct diagnosis. I will go over the symptoms of breast cancer and stress that early detection is key. The latest statistics about breast cancer will be reviewed. Since there is more than one type of breast cancer the different types will be presented featuring their histologic and cytologic presentation. We will review the different methods used to diagnose breast cancer and finish with a discussion of the different IHC stains routinely considered on a breast profile. We will also include the newest stains and their impact on personalized medicine. The objectives of this presentation is to make the audience aware of the importance of early detection, the different types of breast cancer and the laboratory’s roll in classifying breast cancer to include the different IHC stains utilized. Our goal is to make the audience aware of the importance the laboratory plays in the patient’s life.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Lung Cancer
11-14-2017
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
This presentation will demonstrate the relationship between the Histologic and Cytologic presentation of Lung Cancer with emphasis on IHC panels. The need for a good working relationship / understanding of the two departments will be discussed along with the impact this relationship can have on patient care. Participants will hopefully gain a better understanding of why certain procedures are performed and the need for full cooperation between these two important professions.
IHC stains have become invaluable for the diagnosis of pulmonary malignancies (both primary and metastatic). There are many panels of immunostains currently available to help differentiate between common types of pulmonary malignancies. It is important for the Histotechnician to understand the panels and the significance of the stains. Often the specimen size such as seen in trans bronchial and endobronchial biopsies make it difficult to obtain all the slides needed for the battery of panels requested. It is important that the technician not only know how to perform the stain but also the significance of the IHC panel. One of the most common panel ordered on lung cancer specimens is the CK7/CK20. This and other panels will be discussed.
The Uterus
12-19-2017
Program Number: 23619
The live presentation will be on November 19, 2017 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
The uterus is one of the most common specimens seen in a busy hospital practice Histology laboratory. With this in mind do we really understand the anatomy of the uterus as it pertains to grossing, processing, embedding, cutting, routine staining and special stains to include IHCs? We hope by reviewing the anatomy of the uterus, the reasons for a hysterectomy and walking the participants through the processes to get the gross specimen to a microscopic slide for diagnosis we will enhance the understanding of this all too common Histology specimen.
It is estimated that one in three women in the United States will have had a hysterectomy by the age of 60. Some for benign reasons and some for cancer. We will review the reasons for a hysterectomy and the importance of good histology. At the gross bench it is important to be able to identify sections that should be taken for a correct diagnosis but if embedded incorrectly the diagnostic material can be cut away at microtomy. Equally important is to understand the special stains and the IHC stains that will ensure a correct diagnosis.
2016
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Colon Cancer
1-12-2016
Jacqueline Brooks & Ronnie Davis
Cunningham Pathology
The live presentation will be on January 12, 2016 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
As I get older and realize the importance of cancer prevention and screening tests I wanted to know as much as I could about colon cancer. I have always known that Histology played an important role in the diagnosis of colon cancer and wanted to share this information with the Aurora Educational Series audience.
First of all what is colon cancer, what are the risk factors and what are the screening tests? What tests do we perform in the laboratory that can help in the management of colon cancer patients? We will use case studies to present the gross appearance and discuss the important of proper grossing techniques as they pertain to colon cancer specimens. Our expert PA will discuss methods used to identify the lymph nodes that are so very important in staging colon cancers. We then will review the microscopic appearance of colon cancer comparing it to normal colon tissue. The special stains and IHC stains utilized will also be reviewed.
We hope the participants gain a better knowledge of the facts surrounding colon cancer and the important role the laboratory plays in not only diagnosing colon cancer but also in the managed cared of the patient.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
The Placenta
2-09-2016
Jackie Brooks, MB, SCT, HTL (ASCP) Q IHC
Wally Rosene
• To understand me is to love me. I am the placenta, the forgotten specimens that are usually left behind and are usually processed at the end of the day. This power point will provide a better understanding of the concept and placental structure during gestation. The placenta may be seen as a house with a roof, supporting columns and a floor. We will discuss the structure of the placenta, examination of the placenta, and indication for examination. We will use gross photographs and emphasize the importance of proper grossing techniques. We will discuss methods used for proper sectioning an identifying possible abnormalities that might have profound effect on fetal development.
• We hope the participants will have a better knowledge of placenta grossing and sectioning of this lost forgotten specimen. The participants will gain knowledge of abnormal pregnancies or newborns.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Carbohydrate & Amyloid Staining
03/08/16
Jacqueline Brooks
The live presentation will be on February 8, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Carbohydrates are complex and their identification in the histology lab plays a vital role in many diagnoses. We perform routine special stains daily to identify carbohydrates such as the PAS, PAS with and without diastase, AB PAS, mucicarmine and others. We would like to take this opportunity to review the special stains utilized in the identification of carbohydrates and the technical difficulties surrounding these stains.
Amyloid stains will also be discussed even though amyloid is primarily a protein material that is deposited in tissues in various pathologic conditions carbohydrate components may or may not be present.
We will be using real cases studies and also review not only the carbohydrate stains utilized in the diagnoses but also the IHC stains and try our best to tie the two together.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Knowing Your Target w/ Emphases on p16
4-12-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Debra Horton, MT (ASCP), Q IHC
The live presentation will be on April 12, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
When asked to add p16 to our IHC library, a lot of questions came to mind. First we needed to find a vendor and research if it is cost effective to bring in to the laboratory. Then after deciding to bring in we needed to fully understand the package insert, find specimens that qualify for validation and research with the input of the pathologist. In researching the antibody it became clear that you needed to fully understand the cell cycle, basic molecular concepts and of course understand IHC staining. This presentation will cover all of the above with the hope that the audience will benefit from the knowledge when brining on new antibodies and gain a better appreciation for p16.
Objectives:
1. Review the basics of bringing in a new antibody
2. Discuss p16 antibody and it’s staining performance
3. Discuss basic cell cycle and IHC principles
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Lung Cancer Laboratory Tests Understanding What We Do and Why
5-10-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
As we go through our routine day in the laboratory we send out a lot of tests and we perform a lot of tests. Do we really understand the testing options for lung cancer? Sometimes it is easy for us to forget the fundamentals and I think reviewing the basics of lung cancer and the testing options will make us better laboratorians. If we work in a routine Histology laboratory we may send out lung slides or locks for various testing but do we really know what KRAS, ALK, NRAS, etc. actually mean and the importance of the test? We hope by reviewing the anatomy of lung cancer, the types of lung cancer and treatment options we will have a greater appreciation for the tests we perform and the tests we send out.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Communication
6-13-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Debra Horton, MT (ASCP), Q IHC
The live presentation will be on May 10, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Have you ever had someone communicate information to you and when they left you were wondering what did they really say or want? Have you ever communicated information only to later find out that the information was not understood?
Proper communication is essential in all walks of life and can be especially important in the laboratory setting. This series will review the definition of communication stressing the importance of good verbal communication but also nonverbal communication. We will also stress the importance of listening effectively. We will emphasize the importance of gathering objective information before trying to solve a problem. It is better to understand the point of view of other people than it is to agree or disagree with it. We will emphasize the importance of acting professionally, no matter what the other person says or how you feel. Your own behavior can change the focus of the discussion and decision making form the issue at hand.
There are five communication styles which include: Assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, submissive and manipulative. Assertive communication is born of high self-esteem, it is the healthiest and most effective style of communication-the sweet spot between being too aggressive and too passive. When we are assertive, we have the confidence to communicate without resorting to games or manipulation. We know our limits and don’t allow ourselves to be pushed beyond them just because someone else wants or needs something form us.
Our hope is to remind everyone of the importance of healthy communication used to impart and receive information.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Breast Cancer
7-12-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on July 12, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
This educational series will feature my family history of breast cancer, after reviewing my family history the risk factors associated with breast cancer will be reviewed. I will go over the symptoms of breast cancer and stress that early detection is key. The latest statistics about breast cancer will be reviewed. Since there is more than one type of breast cancer the different types will be presented featuring their histologic and cytologic presentation. We will review the different methods used to diagnose breast cancer and finish with a discussion of the different IHC stains routinely considered on a breast profile. We will also include the newest stains and their impact on personalized medicine. The objectives of this presentation is to make the audience aware of the importance of early detection, the different types of breast cancer and the laboratory’s roll in classifying breast cancer to include the different IHC stains utilized. Our goal is to make the audience aware of the importance the laboratory plays in the patient’s life.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Understanding the Regulatory Requirements of the Laboratory
8-09-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on August 9, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
As a CAP inspector and overseeing laboratories that are CAP accredited, TJC accredited and CLIA I often get asked who makes the rules and why are we required to follow the regulations. It is important to understand the Office for Civil rights enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the steps to be taken if you suspect the Privacy Rule has been broken. Most laboratory employees both management and bench techs do not understand that CMS has the primary responsibility for the operation of the CLIA Program and within CMS, the program is implemented by the Center for Medicaid and the State Operations, survey and Certification Group, Division of Laboratory Services. Most laboratories that are CAP accredited think that CAP rules but in reality CMS rules and can close your doors if you are not in compliance with regulations.
The differences between CMS, CLIA, CAP and TJC can be confusing but a basic understanding of how it all works and who reports to whom makes the regulations easier to understand. We also have to follow EPA and OSHA rules and regulations along with state and local rules.
I would encourage all AP laboratories to become CAP accredited if possible because they give more guidance in my opinion than the other regulatory agencies. CAP give you a checklist that if you follow will keep in in compliance with most laboratory regulatory agencies.
The personnel requirements for the different types of tests (waived, non-waived, moderate and high complexity) will be reviewed. We require all our high complexity testing staff members to submit an official copy of their transcripts to ensure we meet requirement and I would encourage everyone to do the same.
General Abstract
The Adventurous Travels of Specimen
September 13, 2016
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
I made a trip last week to a corporate meeting and the travel there and back had numerous delays and cancellations. I couldn’t even get back to the airport I left from to pick up my car. As I was setting in airports I thought how this trip was like a specimen traveling from the patient to its final destination of rendering a diagnosis. I thought of all the things that can go wrong and how the laboratory puts measures in place to ensure the correct diagnosis is rendered and payment is collected.
We will follow a specimen from collection to final diagnosis and billing. At collection what measures are put into place to ensure correct patient identification? What measures are put into place to ensure proper collection and handling of the specimen to prepare it to travel to the laboratory? What measures are put into place to ensure adequate insurance information is given to the laboratory?
Next how does the specimen travel to the laboratory and what measures are put into place to ensure its safe travel. We will talk with couriers and get their input on the issues they face daily as they do their best to ensure the specimen is tracked and delivered to the laboratory.
We will then interview staff members in the accessioning department and review the issues they face on a daily basis and the measures they put into place to ensure proper identification in the laboratory system.
We will follow specimen through the laboratory and emphasize issues we encounter daily and the measures we put into place to ensure that the specimen travels are smooth and without issue. The regulatory requirements will also be discussed as they pertain to specimen integrity.
In the end no matter how qualified your Pathologist might be if the specimen has been compromised the diagnosis is also compromised.
Billing and coding issues will also be discussed on our specimen journey.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
October 11, 2016
The live presentation will be on October 11, 2016, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
HPV (human papilloma virus) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat. Some types of HPV can cause warts and some types can cause cancers. This educational series will concentrate on the testing methodologies and will include the H&E presentation of HPV on biopsy specimens, IHC stains for HPV, pap smears and molecular tests to determine the HPV type. The histologic presentation of HPV will be compared to the cytologic presentation. The CPT codes utilized for the different teasing methods will be also be reviewed.
We can diagnosis HPV from an H&E or Pap smear but it is also very important to know the type. There are over 40 types of HPV and only some are associated with the progression to cancer. There are IHC stains that will also stain for the high risk HPV types that will be discussed. Since we know that cervical cancer is caused by high risk HPV when a pap smear has an equivocal result in most laboratories these are reflex to HPV testing. We will also discuss the HPV vaccine and its impact on cytology.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Processing and Instrumentation
11-08-2016
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on November 8, 2016, 2016 at noon Central Standard Time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
With laboratory automation utilized in most laboratories today we sometimes forget the basic Histologic processing principles. It is important to know what is going on in the equipment we utilize each day to help us troubleshoot problems and decide the best processing method to use on different tissue types. We will briefly review the importance of fixation before subjecting our tissues to the processing phase of histology testing. The different types of alcohols will be discussed as will be the different types of clearing agents. A review of the different infiltration media will be discussed. We will end our discussion of processing with troubleshooting guidelines that we hope will help the participants in their laboratories. The correct orientation at embedding will be reviewed.
We will review the different instruments utilized in histology, reviewing the importance of routine maintenance. At the end of our presentation we will review the instruments utilized in other departments and include a brief description of what the machine does and routine maintenance. As laboratorians it is vital to understand the equipment we use every day, how to troubleshoot and the importance of routine maintenance. We hope the participants come away with a better understanding of laboratory equipment and the importance keeping your equipment in good working order.
For Every Specimen, There is a Specimen
12-13-2016
Program Number: 23377
The presentation will be available via the Aurora Diagnostics Educational Website at 1 pm EST on December 13, 2016. There should be approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. A question and answer session will be available via email. Each participant will participate in a 20 question quiz with will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form following the presentation which will be electronically sent to the educational coordinator. The educational coordinator will tally the evaluations, complete the evaluation summary and return to NSH.
As we go through out daily tasks in the laboratory, no matter what position we hold, it is easy to forget that for every specimen there is a patient and it is our responsibility to ensure this patient receive the best care we can provide. There are a lot of things that go into quality patient care and this presentation will concentrate on fixation, equipment maintenance and the laboratory environment.
It is our responsibility to provide the submitting staff members with instruction on proper submission and fixation requirements. If the specimen is not submitted properly in the correct fixative or transport media the test will be compromised and we must do everything in our power to ensure quality patient care.
Maintaining equipment that will be utilized for patient care must be a priority as we go through our daily routines. It is easy to say “I will do that tomorrow” but this is not an acceptable attitude for the laboratory employee. Equipment must be cleaned and well maintained at all time. To ensure this there must be proper training and accountability. Records must be maintained and reviewed to ensure all steps were taken to ensure our patient samples will be properly handled and processed.
The overall cleanliness of the laboratory environment must be maintained to prevent contamination, floaters and compromised tests. Dust and other environmental contaminants can compromise the tests we perform. The safety of the laboratory personnel can be compromised if the laboratory is not kept clean and well maintained.
We hope this presentation will let all staff members in the laboratory realize the important roll they play in patient care.
2015
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
The Nervous System: A General Overview of Morphology and Stains
1-13-2015
Jacqueline Brooks
Cunningham Pathology
The live presentation of the educational series will be held on January 13, 2015 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “The Nervous System morphology and stains”. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view if they miss the live presentation via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Histologically, nervous tissue consists of cells and cell processes, and the stains for demonstrating the various components of nerve tissue usually fall into 3 groups. The morphology of each component will be described, and then representative methods for demonstration will be presented. The anatomy of the nervous system will be reviewed which will include the central nervous system, the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system. As with all laboratory procedures the stains utilized to demonstrate nervous tissue and pathological processes can be difficult if procedure is not followed and in some cases even if procedure is followed, some issues encountered in the routine laboratory will be addressed. The purpose of each stain will be reviewed along with the procedure and results. This presentation is designed to give the participants a general overview of the nervous system, the disease processes, and the stains utilized.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
How to Have a Successful CAP Inspection in the Flow Cytometry Laboratory
02/10/15
Kimberly Wayman
The live presentation will be on February 10th, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view if they miss the live presentation via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
The focus will be on the CAP checklists that pertain to the Flow Cytometry laboratory. CAP recently created an All-Common checklist for Flow Cytometry to accompany the Flow Cytometry Checklist, both of which are now used during inspections. The presentation will highlight some of the more significant changes that were made. As a Flow Cytometry inspector for CAP, I have become familiar with the challenges some labs have as it pertains to the more difficult checklist questions. The presentation will touch on some of these checklist items, as well as provide examples of how a lab might satisfy a particular requirement.
In addition, I will provide some general guidelines on how to make sure the flow lab is always “CAP ready”.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
How to Have a Successful CAP Inspection in the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory
03/10/15
Jacqueline Brooks
The live presentation will be on March 10th, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view if they miss the live presentation via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
The focus will be on the CAP checklists that pertain to the Anatomic Pathology laboratory. CAP recently created an All-Common checklist for Anatomic Pathology to accompany the Anatomic Pathology Checklist, both of which are now used during inspections. The presentation will highlight some of the more significant changes that were made. As an inspector for CAP, I have become familiar with the challenges some labs have as it pertains to the more difficult checklist questions. The presentation will touch on some of these checklist items, as well as provide examples of how a lab might satisfy a particular requirement.
In addition, I will provide some general guidelines on how to make sure the AP lab is always “CAP ready”.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Nuclear & Cytoplasmic Staining
4-14-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
We perform routine H&Es every day in our histology laboratories and often forget the importance of the H&E stain an spend more time discussing IHC or ISH staining issues. The H&E is the backbone of the Histology laboratory and without a good H&E the diagnosis can be difficult if not impossible to make. Spending some time reviewing the basic histology stain and the importance of a quality side can save headaches down the road. You can’t emphasize enough the importance of QCing the H&E, changing the stainer at regular intervals, and troubleshooting the stain. What is the first thing you do when certain issues arise with the stain. Since most laboratories are so automated you would be surprised at the techs that would have a difficult time performing a hand stain and those that don’t know how to troubleshoot a H&E stain but would have no problem troubleshooting an IHC or ISH stain. This lecture will attempt to remind the audience the importance of the basic stain and give some tips on how to consistently produce a quality stain.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
KRAS, BRAF & NRAS Explanation and Significance
5-12-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on May 12, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Almost every day in our laboratory we send out slides and blocks for KRAS, BRAF and NRAS testing and I often wonder if the laboratory staff members that are responsible for completing the task know the significance of what they are doing. I asked some of our staff members (tech and non-techs) the significance of these tests and no one knew. I thought a presentation that explained the differences and importance of the tests was in long overdue. It is important to know that RAS is the name given to a family of related proteins which is ubiquitously expressed in all cell lineages and organs. The name ‘RAS’ is an abbreviation of ‘Rat sarcoma’, reflecting the way the first members of the protein family were discovered. The name ras is also used to refer to the family of genes encoding those proteins. The clinically most notable members of the Ras subfamily are HRAS, KRAS and NRAS. BRAF protein is involved in sending signals inside cells, which are involved in directing cell growth. In 2002, it was shown to be faulty mutated in some human cancers.
We will also review what is DNA, what is a gene and how genes direct the production of proteins. It is fundamental to understand DNA to understand the testing of DNA.
We will also review the CPT codes utilized in DNA testing.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Cross Contamination
6-09-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on June 9, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Cross contamination of specimens in the laboratory can most certainly adversely affect patient care and as laboratory workers we must do everything possible to prevent cross contamination of specimens. In order to prevent contamination we must first identify the sources of cross contamination. This is true for all departments. In the histology laboratory cross contamination can occur at the gross bench, embedding, microtomy and staining. In the cytology laboratory cross contamination can occur during slide preparation and staining. We also need to look at the possible sources of contamination in the molecular lab, flow lab and clinical lab. Once the sources are identified we must put procedures in place to prevent cross contamination and ensure that all staff members are properly trained. We also need to know how to identify contaminated specimens and methods to correct when possible. For example if you think you have a block with a piece of tissue from another patient you can send for molecular testing to confirm the contaminant. We never want to have the specimen recollected but in some circumstances this is the only option. Of course in the histology laboratory recollection in most cases is not possible. Cross contamination of specimens is a serious issue that should be addressed with all new employees with follow up training for all employees.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Flow Cytometry & General Blood Morphology
7-14-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on August 11, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Skin specimens can be very difficult to gross and embed that is why we would like to review the basic structure of skin to give the audience a better understanding of the process of preparing a skin specimen for microscopic evaluation. The different skin conditions that warrant a biopsy will be discussed with emphases on the conditions we most often see for laboratory testing. The importance of proper fixation is key to any high quality histology slide and this is true of skins so the importance of fixation will be reviewed. Specimen identification will be reviewed with the requirement of two unique identifiers.
Each laboratory may have its own unique special requirements for grossing skin specimens but some principles are basic and will be discussed. We will be using, Surgical Pathology Dissection, second edition as reference material when grossing is discussed.
Basic tissue processing will also be addressed but one of the main focuses of this presentation is embedding and we will show several examples on how to properly embed skin specimens. Routine sectioning, staining and mounting will be reviewed. We will review the different types of specimens that one might encounter and give specific instructions for each type. We will end the presentation with an overview of the IHC utilized in the diagnoses of skin specimens.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Skin Histology, Grossing, Processing, Embedding, Cutting and Staining
8-11-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on August 11, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
Skin specimens can be very difficult to gross and embed that is why we would like to review the basic structure of skin to give the audience a better understanding of the process of preparing a skin specimen for microscopic evaluation. The different skin conditions that warrant a biopsy will be discussed with emphases on the conditions we most often see for laboratory testing. The importance of proper fixation is key to any high quality histology slide and this is true of skins so the importance of fixation will be reviewed. Specimen identification will be reviewed with the requirement of two unique identifiers.
Each laboratory may have its own unique special requirements for grossing skin specimens but some principles are basic and will be discussed. We will be using, Surgical Pathology Dissection, second edition as reference material when grossing is discussed.
Basic tissue processing will also be addressed but one of the main focuses of this presentation is embedding and we will show several examples on how to properly embed skin specimens. Routine sectioning, staining and mounting will be reviewed. We will review the different types of specimens that one might encounter and give specific instructions for each type. We will end the presentation with an overview of the IHC utilized in the diagnoses of skin specimens.
General Abstract
Skin (A More In-Depth Discussion)
September 8, 2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation will be on September 8, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
To make a complete diagnosis of a skin specimen one must understand the different types of skin specimens received and the preparation of the specimens. The skin specimen is taken to diagnose different disease processes such as melanomas, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. As well as non-cancerous conditions such as infection, benign growths, abscess, etc.
Skin specimens can be removed from the patient in different techniques. The technique used can dictate the process used in preparing the skin for diagnosis.
Each laboratory and Pathologist will have their own way of handling the skin specimens. There are some rudimentary guidelines and basic principles that will be talked about during this presentation. The concentration of this lecture is on the gross examination, inking techniques, sectioning techniques and embedding of the skin specimen. Fixation of the specimen will be touched upon but not discussed in depth.
This is the second of a three part series on skin. The next presentation on skin will address the more difficult or unusual specimen types.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Skin (Grossing, DIF, MOHS, Case Study)
October 13, 2015
The live presentation will be on October 13, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
This is the third and final presentation on skin. The first presentation was very basic explaining exactly what skin is and the different components of skin. The second presentation concentrated on grossing and embedding the different types of skin specimens received in the laboratory. This final presentation will concentrate on basic grossing and embedding techniques by presenting three case studies. The specimens will be followed from gross to microscopic examination.
We will also explain MOHS surgery and the specimens received in the laboratory from a MOHS case. The MOHS technique will be reviewed. The importance of the Histotechnician on the MOHS team will explained. The Differences between histology of transvers sections and vertical sections will be incorporated into the presentation. The variation in cure rates will be included in the presentation. A comparison of other modalities of treatment will be discussed.
Immunofluorescence techniques will be reviewed with a comparison of indirect and direct. The limitations of the DIF will be reviewed. Special handling of the DIF specimen will be included.
The CPT codes utilized for skin will be included in the presentation.
We hope that by participating in all three of the three part series the participant will come away with a better understanding of the laboratory techniques utilized in the diagnosis of skin.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Basic Coding
11-10-2015
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Jim Wright, Coding Supervisor
The live presentation will be on November 10, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
With the implementation of the new ICD-10 codes there is a lot of talk in the laboratory about coding. What does the average laboratorian know about coding and the importance of coding correctly? You may work in a laboratory that has a whole department devoted to coding so you may know very little about coding.
Coding is the process of translating healthcare information in written or dictated form to a series of numeric or apha-numeric codes. The codes serve as a common shorthand language to ease data collection, to evaluate the quality of care, and to determine costs and reimbursement. What training is necessary to become a coder and why is it important for all laboratories to at least be familiar with coding? We will review the skill set necessary to meet the needs of a coder.
Did you know that coding can be performed by the physician or the coder? What happens if the requisition received in the laboratory does not have the correct ICD-10 codes? What happens if the laboratory does not enter the correct CPT codes? We will attempt to answer these and many more questions in the basic coding presentation.
IHC AND THE Q IHC
12-8-2015
Title: IHC & QIHC
Program Number: V21319-L
Objectives: List three educational objectives for your program.
1. Review basic IHC methodology
2. Explain why IHC and ISH stains are so important
3. Go over the steps necessary to obtain your Q IHC
Abstract: Written abstract should include program description and be submitted in publication format. Recommend 150-200 words or 10-15 typed lines. Type abstract below, or include as a separate attachment.
The live presentation will be on December 8, 2015 at noon Central Standard time and have approximately 100 attendees. The session will last about an hour, and is in the format of a slide show with voice over. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the education website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
I have been asked several times recently how to obtain your Q IHC and if I thought getting this certification was important. The difference between a certification and a qualification seems to be confusing to some techs that want to broaden their career opportunities. I have also been asked several times about predictive markers and the need for proficiency testing. I thought a general educational session about IHCs could clear up a lot of the misunderstandings. I want to explain the CPT codes associated with IHCs and ISH as this can also be confusing to the coding staff.
IHC or Immunohistochemistry is based on the antigen antibody reaction. To understand IHC staining we will first review the basic antigen antibody reaction and how staining is possible. IHC uses primary antibodies that bind to the target protein and detection systems that link to the primary antibody to provide a visual indication of the protein’s presence and location using brightfield microscopy. We will compare and contrast IHC and ISH or In Situ Hybridization. While IHC is an antigen antibody reaction the ISH is a DNA/RNA probe technique. ISH uses probes that bind to the target RNA or DNA sequence. Different detection systems are then used to visualize the presence of the target sequence. Different detection systems are then used to visualize the presence of the target sequence. FISH uses fluorescent dyes and fluorescent microscopy with CISH used chromogenic dyes and brightfield microscopy.
IHC and ISH stains are used for prognostic and predictive purposes. They are used to not only tell you what kind of tumor but also in some cases how to treat. For example if a patient is strongly positive for ER/PR the will be treated with a different type of chemotherapy than they would if the ER/PR is negative. We can detect certain types of lymphoma which will required different kinds of therapy. In short the testing we are doing in the Histology lab will determine not only what kind of cancer a patient has but also how best to treat the patient.
It is very important if you are working in a laboratory that performs IHC and ISH to obtain your Q IHC. This qualification tells your employer that you have the skills needed to not only produce quality slides but also the skills need to troubleshoot when problems arise. We will go over the steps to obtain the Q IHC and some recommended study material that we have used in our laboratory to study for the exam.
2014
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Laboratory Finance
1-14-2014
Anne M. Horstmann
& Tony Mason
Cunningham Pathology
Biopsy specimens are grossed as an initial step in the preparation of a slide. The objective in preparing slides is to provide the pathologist with a clear and informative microscopic picture of the specimen. Proper grossing techniques are essential for accurate diagnosis. Poor technique can make slide preparation difficult and mistakes are serious and difficult to correct. Skin specimens come in all shapes and sizes and include: curettages, fragments, shaves, pigmented shaves, large shaves, punches, fibromas, papillomas, skin tags, cysts, excisions and re-excisions. Proper grossing techniques are essential for the proper diagnoses. Proper orientation at embedding is also an essential element in preparing a slide that can be used to render a correct diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis is only achieved by using appropriate preservation solutions, applying correct cutting techniques, inking parts of the specimen in different colors, and communicating all clinical information to the pathologist.
During this session the following elements will be discussed.
• Specimen Types
• Grossing techniques for the different specimen types
• Inking techniques
• Orientation procedures
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
What is the Clinical Laboratory?
01/12/14
Meredith Bell, BSMT(ASCP)
This educational conference will be held on February 14, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on getting to know the Clinical Laboratory and Clinical Laboratory Scientists role. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, lat name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This education series will feature an overview of the Clinical laboratory including the educational training needed to become a clinical laboratory scientist. I will review microscopic slides that show common testing performed in the clinical laboratory. I will go over common testing disciplines for the clinical laboratory. I will also review common instrumentation and supplies used in a clinical laboratory and for client sites. Common in-house testing disciplines are discussed as well as send-out turnaround times. The objectives of this presentation are to make the audience aware of the role of the clinical laboratory and the importance of the testing roles performed by the clinical laboratory staff. Our goal is to make the audience aware of the importance the laboratory plays in the patient’s life.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Oral Cancer
03/11/14
Jacqueline Brooks
As laboratorians we are all familiar with receiving and processing/examining specimens from patients but since most of us have little if any contact with patients it is easy to forget that there is a patient behind every specimen. Oral lesions are not common and can be a difficult specimen for the laboratory. The presentation will review the common causes of oral cancer. The gross presentation of three different oral cancers will be presented along with the histologic and cytologic presentation. The IHC stains utilized to render a more definitive diagnosis will be discussed. The molecular test used to identify the high risk HPV type that is most common in oral cancer will also be discussed. The main emphasis of this presentation is comparing the oral presentation of the lesions to the cytologic and histologic presentation and the stains used to render the diagnosis. The importance of quality histology slides will be stressed. We should always keep in mind how important the work we do is to the patient and their families.
During this session we will discuss:
• The causes of oral cancer
• The risk factors of oral cancer
• Three types of oral cancer
• The Histologic presentation of oral cancer
• The IHC stains commonly utilized in diagnosing oral cancer
• The importance of quality histology
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
BRAF, An Overview of Two Molecular Methods
4-8-2014
Kathleen Brown, MB, DLM, MT (ASCP)
This educational conference will be held on April 8, 2014 at noon CST and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a power point presentation on BRAF-Two Molecular Methods. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printer first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This educational series will include an overview of the BRAF gene and the clinical significance of detection of mutations in codon 600. The presentation covers specimen collection for molecular procedures from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue using two techniques: un-stained slides and block curls. Extraction procedures for FFPE and criteria for sample integrity are discussed. The two methods for BRAF covered are a PCR with a microarray (Autogenomics) and pyrosequencing (Qiagen). The objectives of this presentation are to make the audience aware of techniques for using FFPE for molecular testing and differences in molecular testing procedures used to identify mutations in the BRAF gene.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Enzyme Histochemistry
5-13-2014
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
This educational series will be held on May 13, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Enzyme Histochemistry”. All participants will be provided a PPT with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
We will be using the “Histotechnology, A Self-Instructinal Test by Frieda Carson and the corresponding Flash cards as reference material. A short account of the general properties of enzymes will be followed by a discussion of the physical and chemical principles underlying the methods used for their localization in tissues. Topics covered with include; Muscle Histology, Pathologic Changes in Muscle, Enzyme Histochemistry, Properties of Enzymes, Preservation of Enzymes, Classification of Enzymes, Freezing Muscle Biopsy Specimens, Enzymatic procedures for muscle disorders and we will end with Non-enzymatic procedures for muscle disorders.
During this session we will discuss:
• Muscle Histology
• Pathologic Changes in Muscle
• Enzymatic procedures
• CPT codes
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Processing and Instrumentation
6-10-2014
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
This educational series will be held on June 10, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Processing and Instrumentation”. All participants will be provided a PPT with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
It is essential to know the theory behind processing in order to choose the best processing platform for your laboratory. The different types of alcohol used for processing will be reviewed with the participants along with the different types of dehydrates and infiltration reagents. A variety of different types of processors will be discussed pointing out the pros and cons of each. Processing troubleshooting will be reviewed. The basic instrumentation utilized in the laboratory will be reviewed to help the participants choose what is best for their laboratories stressing troubleshooting on the different instruments. New instrument validation requirements will be showcased.
During this session we will discuss:
• Dehydration
• Clearing
• Infiltration
• Troubleshooting of basic laboratory equipment
• Basic tissue orientation
• Decalcification
• Frozen Sections
• Microscopes
• Microtomy
• Types of tissue processors
• Coverslippers
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Quality Within the Laboratory
7-8-2014
Sarah T. Bland
This educational series will be held on July 8, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Quality within the Laboratory”. All participants will be provided a Power Point with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation, and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
Quality management (QM) is an essential part of laboratory operations. This presentation will review what quality management is, detailing information on quality control, quality assurance, safety, and reporting. A brief history of quality management will be included to introduce the importance of QM. Pre-analytic, analytic and post-analytic monitors will be discussed and an example of a QM report will be shows and discussed on how to report the monitors. Moreover, accreditation regulations will be discussed to stress the importance of a strong QM program to monitor all protocols and encourage best practices. Finally, the last portion of the presentation will discuss Institutional Logic and how long-term thinking, leadership, active participation, and teamwork can increase the value and effectiveness of a QM program within the laboratory, and ultimately increase effective patient care.
During this session we will discuss:
• Quality Control
• Quality Assurance
• Pre-analytic monitors
• Analytic monitors
• Post-analytic monitors
• Patient care
• Accreditation regulations
• Leadership
• Institutional Logic
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
CLIA Frequently Asked Questions
8-12-2014
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC
This educational series will be held on August 12, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “CLIA Compliance, FAQ”. All participants will be provided a Power Point with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation, and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
As a Lab Manager of several labs that include CLIA labs, CAP labs, Cola Labs and JCAHO labs I am frequently asked about regulatory requirements. I also work for a company that has labs in different states which requires knowledge of different state regulatory requirements. For the average laboratory employee to understand why we do a lot of the things we do it is important to understand the regulatory requirements that govern us. This presentation will give an overview picture of CMS, CLIA and CAP and how these agencies work together to ensure quality patient care. It is very important to understand the testing personnel requirements to ensure only those staff members that are qualified to perform a certain test be able to do so.
During this session we will discuss:
• HIPAA
• CMS
• CLIA
• Personnel Requirements
• Personnel Responsibilities
• Patient care
• Accreditation regulations
• Types of Certificates
• Waived vs Non-Waived testing
General Abstract
How to Bring New Antibodies into Your Clinical IHC Laboratory
September 9, 2014
Deborah Horton, MT(ASCP) QIHC
This educational series will be held on September 9, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “How to Bring New Antibodies into Your Clinical IHC Laboratory”. All participants will be provided a Power Point with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation, and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
You just had a Pathologist come to you and want to bring in a new antibody to be used in the clinical laboratory. Now what? What steps are necessary to make this an easy transaction from your Pathologist’s request to a validated antibody in your laboratory? What CAP requirements are necessary to bring an antibody into your laboratory? Is the antibody a RUO, ASR, or IVD and do you even know what that means? Is the antibody compatible to the reagents you are already using in your lab? Let’s take this one step at a time. We will take an example of an antibody request and move it through the process from beginning to end. We will make sure we have all the documentation and testing done to meet all CAP requirements. We will setup a process that is easy to follow when a request for new antibodies are needed, making this easy for you and making the Pathologist happy.
During this session we will discuss:
• Quality Control
• Quality Assurance
• Pre-analytic monitors
• Analytic monitors
• Antibody reagents
• RUO, ASR, IVD
• CAP Requirements
General Abstract
An Overview of H. pylori
October 14, 2014
Donna M. Rito, HT(ASCP)
The educational powerpoint presentation, An Overview of H. pylori will be available to participants on October 14th. This education series will cover the transmission of H. pylori, the symptoms that may occur from infection and some of the diagnostic tests available. Noninvasive tests as well as invasive tests will be presented. Several ancillary stains and immunohistochemical stains will be identified and reviewed, as the laboratory’s role is important in diagnosing the infection. Treatment and follow-up procedures will be furnished. Several preventive measures will be shown in order to make the participants aware of some suggestions that may help in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The goal is to make participants aware of this destructive bacteria as it affects approximately two-thirds of the people in the world. The participant will learn that an untreated infection can lead to problems such as stomach or duodenal ulcers. This presentation will educate the viewer that H. pylori infection is also associated with stomach cancer and gastritis so. It will also emphasize that preventive measures will help avoid contracting bacterial infections.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Blood Borne Pathogen Precaution Overview
11-11-2014
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The educational series will be held on November 11, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Blood borne Pathogen Precaution Overview”. All participants will be provided a Power Point with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
As we hear more and more about the Emboli threat it is a good time to review our policies on Blood Borne Pathogens. It is always important to know the proper way to protect ourselves from Blood Borne Pathogens and with the present atmosphere and concerns it is an excellent time for a review. There will be an outline of the evidence and considerations on medical glove use to prevent germ transmission to include a diagram of how to put on and remove the gloves. An overview of how to put on and take off PPEs will be reviewed and a diagram will be included. How to wash your hands properly will be emphasized. We will go over the proper way to clean surfaces in the laboratory. For our transport staff we will review the basic triple packaging system for their protection. All information was referenced by WHO, OSHA and CDC.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Three Case Studies Highlighting the stains (H&E, special, IHC) utilized
12-09-2014
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
The live presentation of the educational series will be held on December 9, 2014 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Three Case Studies”. All participants will be provided a Power Point voice over to view if they miss the live presentation via the Aurora Diagnostics educational website. There will be a question and answer session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation the presenter will be available for questions via email. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded via the educational website. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator via the educational website.
As we go through our daily tasks as laboratory professionals we often forget or don’t think about how all the tests that we perform are put together to render a final diagnosis with will be used to treat and / or manage the patient. The three case studies presented will be used to demonstrate how the H&E, IHC, special stains and molecular studies are utilized to render the final diagnosis. We will review how the patient history and H&E presentation guide the pathologist in ordering additional studies needed to help make that final diagnosis. The importance of each step the specimen undergoes through the process will be reviewed. The final diagnosis in the three cases are:
Case 1:
Hepatocellular carcinoma, moderately differentiated
Case 2:
Metastatic, poorly-differentiated non-small cell carcinoma, favor lung primary
Case 3:
(1) Mild active chronic gastritis with superficial benign ulceration
(2) Ulcerative esophagitis with inflammatory and degenerate cellular debris
2013
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Laboratory Finance
1-8-2013
Stu Cammack, General Manager
Cunningham Pathology
This educational conference will be held on January 8, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Laboratory finance. There is an ever increasing focus on reducing health care costs by all healthcare entities so it is important for technologists to understand what our services are worth and how we can produce the highest quality product at the lowest cost.
The presenter will share data on specific revenues generated by a technologist’s work. They will also review costs associated with the production of an H&E slide and an IHC slide. Costs associated with Hazardous Waste disposal and Chemical disposal. Each time a technologist steps into the lab they create an expense and it is important for them to understand how they can help impact these expenses.
At the conclusion of this session the lab of the month will be presented.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Breast Cancer
2-12-2013
Jackie Brooks, MB, SCT, HTL (ASCP) Q IHC
This educational conference will be held on February 12, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Breast Cancer. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, lat name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This education series will feature my family history of breast cancer, after reviewing my family history the risk factors associated with breast cancer will be reviewed. I will go over the symptoms of breast cancer and stress that early detection is key. The 2012 key statistics about breast cancer will be reviewed. Since there is more than one type of breast cancer the different types will be presented featuring their histologic and cytologic presentation. We will review the different methods used to diagnose breast cancer and finish with a discussion of the different IHC stains routinely considered on a breast profile. The objectives of this presentation is to make the audience aware of the importance of early detection, the different types of breast cancer and the laboratory’s roll in classifying breast cancer. Our goal is to make the audience aware of the importance the laboratory plays in the patient’s life.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstracts
The Laboratory and Computers, Some FAQs
Jacqueline Brookss
This educational series is focused on computerized laboratory equipment and frequently asked questions associated with running the equipment. Histology, cytology, molecular and flow specimens will be followed from receipt to sign out with emphasis on the operation of the computerized equipment utilized during the process. Frequently asked questions about the operation of the various instrumentations used in the laboratory will be reviewed. Some examples of that equipment are: Laboratory Information system, Tissue processor, automated microtome, automated stainer, automated coverslipper, automated IHC stainer, automated ISH stainer, automated pap smear processor, automated molecular equipment and automated Flow cytometry equipment. The goal of this presentation is to give the participants a better understanding of the computerized equipment, allowing them to be more productive and comfortable with and around computers in the workplace.
This educational conference will be held on March 12, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the educational coordinator. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Genital HPV
What is it and what are the testing methodologies
4-9-2012
Jacqueline Brooks, HTL, MB, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
Genital human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat. Some types of HPV can cause warts and some types can cause cancers. This educational series will concentrate on the testing methodologies and will include the H&E presentation of HPV on biopsy specimens, IHC stains for HPV, pap smears and molecular tests to determine the type. The histologic presentation of HPV will be compared to the cytologic presentation. The CPT codes utilized for the different testing methods will also be reviewed.
This educational conference will be held on April 9, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the educational coordinator.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Managing Multiple Shifts
What is it and what are the testing methodologies
5-14-2013
Edward A Hughes, BS, HT/HTL (ASCP)
This educational conference will be held on May 14, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Managing Multiple Shifts. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This education series will feature my experience with managing multiple shifts at a Histology reference laboratory. I will give background information regarding operation of the Histology department at Greensboro Pathology Associates. I will discuss the challenges ranging from issuing simple communications to leading complex changes. I will discuss the mercurial perceptions of fairness perceived by employees and how fairness in administration can be interpreted differently by shift. The role of effective lead technician and supervisors will be explored. Our goal is to make the audience aware of the vital importance of effective management of multiple shifts.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Adenocarcinoma
6-11-2013
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC
This educational series will be held on June 11, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Adenocarcinoma. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
As laboratory employees we hear the term adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, lung carcinoma, colon carcinoma, etc. but do we really know and understand these terms? Since a lot if not most of the tests we perform each day are for the identification and classification of cancer I think it is important to understand as much as possible about cancer, what is cancer, what are the testing methodologies, how can you prevent cancer and how is it treated. This educational series will review cancer in general the present the different types of adenocarcinoma. It is our intent for the audience to leave with a better understanding of how adenocarcinomas are classified, the treatment, the tests used to identify and classify and the ways to prevent and treat cancer.
Aurora diagnostics
General Abstract
What does that test really cost?
7-9-2013
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC
This educational series will be held on July 9, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a side show on “What does that test really cost”. All participants will be provided with a PPT with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
Do you know exactly what your current tests and procedures cost? Have you struggled with choosing a vendor when quality and cost are equally important? How can you tell if a vendor’s proposal is “too good to be true”? Do you need to prepare justifications to get resources for your lab? Your lab is a unique combination of employees, equipment, tests, procedures, pathologists, clients, workload fluctuation, research and/or clinical focus, etc. Because you are one of a kind, you need a method to help you determine what the true costs are in your laboratory. Whether you are planning your budget, working up justifications for new equipment or FTEs, evaluating a vendor’s proposals or potential changes in workflow, this educational session can help you make a better financial decision.
During this session we will discuss how to:
• Define all elements that contribute to cost
• Find those sneaky “hidden” costs
• Evaluate vendor proposals for your unique lab situation
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Understanding the Common Techniques in Molecular Biology
8-13-2013
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC
Matthew Musgrave, CT (ASCP)
This educational series will be held on August 13, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Understanding the Common Techniques in Molecular Biology”. All participants will be provided with a PPT with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenters. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
How does Molecular testing compare to other test commonly seen in an anatomic pathology laboratory and how does it contribute to patient care. Molecular testing is fairly new to the routine laboratory and we are seeing histotechs, cytotechs and molecular techs performing the assays. Since molecular testing is crossing the lines of most laboratory disciplines it is essential that all laboratory testing professionals understand basic molecular testing theory. This educational series will compare molecular testing to the other testing commonly seen in an anatomic laboratory. The basic DNA structure will be described and explained to the audience. We will also review the relationships between DNA, RNA, chromosomes, genes and proteins. At the end of the presentation some of the most common molecular tests will be reviewed and explained giving the audience a better understanding of molecular testing and how it fits into a routine laboratory.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Flow Cytometry
September 2013
Kimberly Wayman, B.S., QCym
This educational conference will be held on September 10, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Flow Cytometry. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, lat name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This presentation will include basic concepts of flow cytometry. I will be addressing sample preparation briefly- what do we do with those samples when they arrive in the lab? I will talk about the advantages of flow cytometry, and how the results aid the pathologist in their diagnosis. Basic flow cytometry theory will be reviewed- how the antibody- antigen- fluorochrome reaction works, how the instrument reads the samples, and the 3 systems of a flow cytometer (fluidics, optics, and electronics). I will review some of the more commonly used CD (cluster of differentiation) numbers, and the importance of appropriate antibody selection. I will close the presentation with 3 case studies- one normal patient, and 2 abnormal cases where the flow cytometric analysis was an important component of the diagnosis. My goal is to leave the audience with a better understanding of what happens in a flow lab, why flow cytometry has become such an important tool for the pathologist, and what the results mean.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
IHC Troubleshooting
October 2013
Deborah Horton
The process of Immunohistochemistry (IHC) contains many steps. While a common protocol maybe used on all instrumentation platforms, there can be slight differences in how they are performed depending on the platform utilized. Improper staining may arise from a variety of issues including but not limited to weak staining, no staining, over staining, and high background. Although the troubleshooting process could provide a resolution with some of the problematic stains, there are always some that are unknown or not reproducible. Once your instrument has come to completion many new questions may arise. The questions of what to do next or where to start may be your big question once you review the slides. The some frequently asked questions include: What happened to the red staining? Why is there no DAB staining? Why didn’t my CD3 control work? Why is the staining on one side of the slide different from the other side of the slide? While it would be nice to have one simple answer to all these questions, it all may depend on the circumstances. This workshop will cover all of these real world IHC issues as well as other common troubleshooting questions. If you have our on questions, there will be a question and answer session at the end of the lecture.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Acid Orcein Giemsa
November 2013
Patricia Heiden
This educational conference will be held on date at what time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on Acid Orcein Giemsa. All participants will be provided with a PPT with a voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q & A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator to be graded and returned to the attendees. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation sheet. The roster, evaluation forms and quizzes will be returned to the educational coordinator.
This education series will feature the Acid Orcein and Giemsa (OG) stain used at Pinkus Dermatopathology Laboratory.
I will review the history of the OG stain and explain how its use improves our diagnostic ability in many cases. We will review examples of the OG stain.
The objectives of this presentation:
• Proper method of staining using the Acid Orcein with OG
• Review the staining with OG
• Review various examples of skin disorder in which the OG is used
Our goal is to make the audience aware of the different stains available to aid in the diagnosis of skin diseases.
Aurora Diagnostics
General Abstract
Prostate Cancer
12-10-2013
Jacqueline Brooks, MB, HTL, SCT (ASCP) Q IHC, CM IAC
This educational series will be held on December 10, 2013 at noon Central Standard Time and will have approximately 100 attendees. This session will last approximately one hour and will feature a slide show on “Prostate Cancer”. All participants will be provided a PPT with voice over to view if they miss the live presentation. There will be a Q&A session following the live presentation and for those that miss the live presentation questions can be emailed to the presenter. Each participant will be given a 20 question quiz that will be sent to the educational coordinator after it has been electronically graded. Attendees are required to sign a roster that has a printed first name, last name, company, email address and a space for signature. All attendees are required to fill out an evaluation form. The roster, evaluation form and quizzes will be electronically returned to the educational coordinator.
Prostate cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death due to cancer in men. A big challenge to finding cancer early is that most men do not have any early physical symptoms of prostate cancer. Since there are few prostate cancer symptoms, one way to help detect cancer early is through simple screening tests. The Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA test is a simple blood test that is used to identify patients at risk for prostate cancer. If a patient has an elevated PSA then they might undergo a prostate biopsy. The prostate biopsy is sent to the lab for testing it is very important for the laboratory to embed the specimen correctly because there can be small foci of cancer that can be missed if not embedded correctly. Prostate cancer is given a Gleason score denoting the severity of the cancer. Prostate cancer can be identified on a H&E stain but sometime IHC stains are required. It is very important that the stains be done correctly. It is very important that the laboratory staff perform every step in the testing method correctly in order to render a correct diagnosis.
During this session we will discuss:
• Prostate Cancer Statistics
• Anatomy of the Prostate
• Gleason Scoring
• CPT codes
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