Events on 26 September 2023
CONGRESS 2023 - The need for end to end QC in digital histopathology and artificial intelligence (AI)
26/09/2023
Histopathology has numerous stages in the production of a digital image and its subsequent use. Each of the stages can introduce variations that are compounded resulting in a net variation in image quality for nominally the same tissue. Humans are tolerant of variation so this variation in quality has minimal impact on outcomes, which are additionally validated by EQA services.
But AI is in some cases being negatively impacted by variation and highlights the need for quality metrics and subsequently standards for each stage, where possible. But currently there are few independent QC tools for digital histopathology. This presentation will present the results of our work in NPIC were we have developed QC tools for staining, digitisation and display in digital histopathology.
But AI is in some cases being negatively impacted by variation and highlights the need for quality metrics and subsequently standards for each stage, where possible. But currently there are few independent QC tools for digital histopathology. This presentation will present the results of our work in NPIC were we have developed QC tools for staining, digitisation and display in digital histopathology.
CONGRESS 2023 - Making Science Sustainable – Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and Clinical Laboratories
26/09/2023
Nations, institutions, and now the NHS have made net-zero commitments, but how will this affect scientific operations, and what would net-zero science look like? Laboratories are recognising their energy intensive nature, and assessing their immense consumption of consumables. More green lab efforts are growing around the world, though more standards are needed.
This talk will include:
An introduction to sustainable and green labs
A look at what net-zero laboratories might resemble in the future
An introduction to Sustainability standards, and what programmes are developing regarding the sustainability of clinical, research, and all kinds of labs
Questions!
This talk will include:
An introduction to sustainable and green labs
A look at what net-zero laboratories might resemble in the future
An introduction to Sustainability standards, and what programmes are developing regarding the sustainability of clinical, research, and all kinds of labs
Questions!
CONGRESS 2023 - Clinical and economic evaluation of the clinical utility of UCH-L1 and GFAP in mild TBI
26/09/2023
There are 1.4 million UK ED attendances for head injury every year. Up to 2/3 of these are in adult patients. The severity of head injury associated traumatic brain injury (TBI) is assessed clinically using the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS). The majority of fatal outcomes occur in moderate TBI (GCS 9-12) or severe TBI (GCS=8), which account for only 5% of attenders.
The presence of severe TBI is usually clinically clear cut and prompt evaluation using computed tomography (CT) imaging of the brain is performed, followed by hospital admission with further detailed evaluation. This is also often the case where moderate TBI is suspected. There is clearly a need to identify patients that account for the remaining 95% of attenders, with minor or mild head injuries, who will go on to have serious intracranial lesions.
In patients with GCS 13-15, however, only 1/10 demonstrate evidence of pathology on CT scan.
The measurement of serum biomarkers of brain injury has been proposed as a method to accurately differentiate those patients with GCS 13-15 who are likely to have underlying pathology from those with GCS 13-15 with no underlying pathology.
Among the most studied biomarkers are Ubiquitin C-terminal hydroxylase-L1 (UCH-L1) and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP). UCH-L1 GFAP have been shown to correlate with TBI severity and clinical outcomes. Current evidence indicates that both serum GFAP and UCH-L1 are detectable in serum in less than 1 hour following a mTBI. GFAP and UCH-L1 levels are significantly elevated in patients with TBI with intracranial lesions on computed tomography (CT) and, in patients with mTBI, can distinguish between those with a normal and an abnormal CT scan of the brain.
Patients with mild TBI are at low risk of clinically significant brain injury in the absence of raised serum GFAP and UCH-L1 and other associated risk factors. They do not require a CT head scan and may be safely discharged providing there is a safe support system of care. It is anticipated that this could reduce head CT in these patients by 40%.
Methodology and preliminary results form an ongoing clinical and economic evaluation of the FDA approved serum GFAP and UCH-L1 on the Abbott Alinity platform in patients with mTBI will be presented.
The presence of severe TBI is usually clinically clear cut and prompt evaluation using computed tomography (CT) imaging of the brain is performed, followed by hospital admission with further detailed evaluation. This is also often the case where moderate TBI is suspected. There is clearly a need to identify patients that account for the remaining 95% of attenders, with minor or mild head injuries, who will go on to have serious intracranial lesions.
In patients with GCS 13-15, however, only 1/10 demonstrate evidence of pathology on CT scan.
The measurement of serum biomarkers of brain injury has been proposed as a method to accurately differentiate those patients with GCS 13-15 who are likely to have underlying pathology from those with GCS 13-15 with no underlying pathology.
Among the most studied biomarkers are Ubiquitin C-terminal hydroxylase-L1 (UCH-L1) and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP). UCH-L1 GFAP have been shown to correlate with TBI severity and clinical outcomes. Current evidence indicates that both serum GFAP and UCH-L1 are detectable in serum in less than 1 hour following a mTBI. GFAP and UCH-L1 levels are significantly elevated in patients with TBI with intracranial lesions on computed tomography (CT) and, in patients with mTBI, can distinguish between those with a normal and an abnormal CT scan of the brain.
Patients with mild TBI are at low risk of clinically significant brain injury in the absence of raised serum GFAP and UCH-L1 and other associated risk factors. They do not require a CT head scan and may be safely discharged providing there is a safe support system of care. It is anticipated that this could reduce head CT in these patients by 40%.
Methodology and preliminary results form an ongoing clinical and economic evaluation of the FDA approved serum GFAP and UCH-L1 on the Abbott Alinity platform in patients with mTBI will be presented.
CONGRESS 2023 - Your career in Clinical Biochemistry: IBMS qualifications and the role of the Advisory Panel
26/09/2023
Your career in Clinical Biochemistry: IBMS qualifications and the role of the Advisory Panel
CONGRESS 2023 - Overcoming challenges to passing cervical cytology exams
26/09/2023
Overcoming challenges to passing cervical cytology exams
CONGRESS 2023 - Overcoming challenges to passing diagnostic cytology exams
26/09/2023
Overcoming challenges to passing diagnostic cytology exams
CONGRESS 2023 - Clinical Andrology: A Urology Surgeon’s Perspective
26/09/2023
Clinical Andrology: A Urology Surgeon’s Perspective
CONGRESS 2023 - Teratozoospermia Index (TZI): The debate
26/09/2023
Semen analyses is essential to understand male factor infertility and to allow planning for treatment options. Absence or low numbers of viable sperm become a challenge and to define whether obstruction removal surgery is needed or whether it would be possible to possible to boost sperm numbers if hormonally related problems exist.
Semen diagnostic analyses is used to define which treatment modality, timed sexual intercourse, intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or if intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is needed. Despite all efforts, around 70% of women remain barren after treatment and little understanding exists especially on male factor which forms almost half the problem. Poor to very poor sperm quality relating to multiple factors such as counts, motility and morphology are increasingly associated with declining embryo quality, pregnancy outcomes and recurrent miscarriage. Asthenozoospermia/asthenospermia) is related to reduced sperm motility, whereas teratozoospermia refers to morphology condition. For the first time the field of diagnostic andrology has a chance to make substantial male factor contribution towards the knowledge of poor success rates and have available a numeral encompassed in `teratozoospermia index’ (TZI). The TZI has a maximum of four defects per abnormal spermatozoon: one each for head, midpiece and principal piece, and one for excess residual cytoplasm. The TZI is the sum of all abnormalities divided by the sum of abnormal spermatozoa, thus always giving a result between 1.00 and 4.00.
Ordinary semen analyses so far have had limited predictive value, but TZI will form a meaningful and constructive contribution to reproductive medicine, allowing for less invasive and less commercially driven and unnecessary expensive ICSI treatments. To derive the TZI numeral does not require significantly more investment other than performing a simple calculation to reach this index numeral, while conforming to WHO standards. There are sufficient parallels between poor sperm quality and DNA damage and recurrent miscarriage for instance, and morphology deficit evidence is beginning to emerge, adding TZI potential substantially to diagnostic andrology analyses as well as in providing clinical steers.
The Teratozoospermia Index (TZI) is a recent addition to WHO guidelines. The interpretation of the guidelines and whether laboratories should/should not undertake this test is contentious and may cause issues for many services.
This debate will involve two speakers: one for and one against TZI implementation. This will give attendees a rounded review of this area and support their decisions in undertaking this examination.
The Teratozoospermia Index (TZI) is a recent addition to WHO guidelines. The interpretation of the guidelines and whether laboratories should/should not undertake this test is contentious and may cause issues for many services. This debate will involve two speakers: one for and one against TZI implementation.
Sperm morphology assessment is part of a basic semen analysis. Accurate assessment of the percentage of normal-shaped sperm can help in diagnosing male factor infertility and in signposting to the most effective assisted conception therapy if needed.
Beyond classifying whether or not a sperm shape is normal, the introduction of the teratozoospermia index (TZI) requires us to now look at each sperm in far more detail. We are asked to assess the percentage of specific abnormalities such as head shape (is it too thin or amorphous?), midpiece (is it slightly asymmetric?) and tail (is it a little too short?). However, such assessments require additional time-consuming work for the biomedical andrologist and is it really of any clinical relevance?
Most sperm shape defects are easy to detect by the basic analysis without this extra work. Examples include globozoospermia, macrocephaly, decapitated sperm syndrome and fibrous sheath dysplasia, all of which are simply diagnosed, as often the vast majority of sperm affected.
Semen diagnostic analyses is used to define which treatment modality, timed sexual intercourse, intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or if intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is needed. Despite all efforts, around 70% of women remain barren after treatment and little understanding exists especially on male factor which forms almost half the problem. Poor to very poor sperm quality relating to multiple factors such as counts, motility and morphology are increasingly associated with declining embryo quality, pregnancy outcomes and recurrent miscarriage. Asthenozoospermia/asthenospermia) is related to reduced sperm motility, whereas teratozoospermia refers to morphology condition. For the first time the field of diagnostic andrology has a chance to make substantial male factor contribution towards the knowledge of poor success rates and have available a numeral encompassed in `teratozoospermia index’ (TZI). The TZI has a maximum of four defects per abnormal spermatozoon: one each for head, midpiece and principal piece, and one for excess residual cytoplasm. The TZI is the sum of all abnormalities divided by the sum of abnormal spermatozoa, thus always giving a result between 1.00 and 4.00.
Ordinary semen analyses so far have had limited predictive value, but TZI will form a meaningful and constructive contribution to reproductive medicine, allowing for less invasive and less commercially driven and unnecessary expensive ICSI treatments. To derive the TZI numeral does not require significantly more investment other than performing a simple calculation to reach this index numeral, while conforming to WHO standards. There are sufficient parallels between poor sperm quality and DNA damage and recurrent miscarriage for instance, and morphology deficit evidence is beginning to emerge, adding TZI potential substantially to diagnostic andrology analyses as well as in providing clinical steers.
The Teratozoospermia Index (TZI) is a recent addition to WHO guidelines. The interpretation of the guidelines and whether laboratories should/should not undertake this test is contentious and may cause issues for many services.
This debate will involve two speakers: one for and one against TZI implementation. This will give attendees a rounded review of this area and support their decisions in undertaking this examination.
The Teratozoospermia Index (TZI) is a recent addition to WHO guidelines. The interpretation of the guidelines and whether laboratories should/should not undertake this test is contentious and may cause issues for many services. This debate will involve two speakers: one for and one against TZI implementation.
Sperm morphology assessment is part of a basic semen analysis. Accurate assessment of the percentage of normal-shaped sperm can help in diagnosing male factor infertility and in signposting to the most effective assisted conception therapy if needed.
Beyond classifying whether or not a sperm shape is normal, the introduction of the teratozoospermia index (TZI) requires us to now look at each sperm in far more detail. We are asked to assess the percentage of specific abnormalities such as head shape (is it too thin or amorphous?), midpiece (is it slightly asymmetric?) and tail (is it a little too short?). However, such assessments require additional time-consuming work for the biomedical andrologist and is it really of any clinical relevance?
Most sperm shape defects are easy to detect by the basic analysis without this extra work. Examples include globozoospermia, macrocephaly, decapitated sperm syndrome and fibrous sheath dysplasia, all of which are simply diagnosed, as often the vast majority of sperm affected.
CONGRESS 2023 - A success story: taking a collaborative approach to the delivery of specialist training
26/09/2023
The IBMS Specialist Diploma is an important part of the development of Biomedical Scientists and is used as a mechanism to allow progress from band 5 to band 6 (or equivalent) by most laboratories. In recent years, various factors have impacted the ability of laboratories to support Specialist Portfolio training, resulting in recruitment challenges at the specialist level.
To address this, Pathology Practice Educators in London took a collaborative approach to deliver specialist training, covering the knowledge aspects of the Clinical Biochemistry Specialist Portfolio in a series of webinars. To support the webinar series and host resources we created a centralised online learning resource on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform.
The successful pilot project has been used as a blueprint, taking this initiative across all UK Pathology networks, and covering 6 major disciplines. Learn about the journey of this pioneering specialist training programme for Biomedical Scientists and our exciting plans to expand the learning resources and widen the scope to other IBMS qualifications.
Following the presentation you are invited by the speaker to complete this online form
To address this, Pathology Practice Educators in London took a collaborative approach to deliver specialist training, covering the knowledge aspects of the Clinical Biochemistry Specialist Portfolio in a series of webinars. To support the webinar series and host resources we created a centralised online learning resource on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform.
The successful pilot project has been used as a blueprint, taking this initiative across all UK Pathology networks, and covering 6 major disciplines. Learn about the journey of this pioneering specialist training programme for Biomedical Scientists and our exciting plans to expand the learning resources and widen the scope to other IBMS qualifications.
Following the presentation you are invited by the speaker to complete this online form