clinical chemistry tests
The clinical chemistry laboratory and clinical chemistry tests
Randox manufacture diagnostic kits to suit the needs of all clinical chemistry laboratories. Routine assays are combined with specialist tests in probably the most comprehensive product range available from any manufacturer of diagnostics in the world. Randox reinvest 28% of gross income on research and development, enabling extensive investigation of the latest technical developments in assay design and instrument operation. Assay methodologies cover a range of techniques including routine colormetric assays and immunoturbidimetric methods. Pack size variety offers the customer flexibility and versatility without compromising the exceptional performance expected from Randox products.
The automation of clinical chemistry
The decade 1980 to 1990 was the most progressive period in the short, but turbulent, history of clinical chemistry. New techniques and the instrumentation needed to perform assays have opened up a host of new and exciting opportunities. Multi-channel analysers, the base spectrophotometric key to automated laboratories, have become almost perfect. The extended use of the antigen-monoclonal antibody reaction with increasing sensitive labels has extended analyte detection routinely into the picomole/liter range. Devices that aid the automation of serum processing and distribution of specimens are emerging. Laboratory computerisation has significantly matured, permitting better integration of laboratory instruments, improving communication between laboratory personnel and the patient's physician, and facilitating the use of expert systems and robotics in the chemistry laboratory.
What is clinical chemistry?
Clinical chemistry uses chemical processes to measure levels of chemical components in the blood. The most common specimens used in clinical chemistry are blood and urine. Many different tests exist to test for almost any type of chemical component in blood or urine. Components may include blood glucose, electrolytes, enzymes, hormones, lipids (fats), other metabolic substances and proteins.
What are some common clinical chemistry tests?
The following is a description of some of the most common clinical chemistry tests (used on blood and urine specimens), including some of the uses and indications:
Blood glucose or blood sugar levels indicate how the body handles glucose. Measuring glucose levels after fasting can help diagnose diabetes mellitus or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Electrolytes may include sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Measuring electrolytes can specifically indicate certain metabolic and kidney disorders.
Enzymes are released into the blood by organs that are damaged or diseased. The type of enzyme released can indicate which organ is affected: creatine kinase (Can signal heart damage from heart attack or other), alanine aminotransferase (AAT, SGOT), aspartate or aminotransferase (AST, SGPT) (Can signal liver disorders and bone diseases), amylase and lipase (Can signal inflammation or cancer of the pancreas)
Hormones are secreted by the various endocrine glands. Raised or lowered levels of certain hormones can indicate over- or under-activity of those glands: Cortisol (Adrenal Glands), Thyroxine (T4), TSH (Thyroid Gland) and FSH, ACTH, growth hormones (Pituitary Gland).
Lipids are fatty substances such as triglycerides (body fat), phospholipids (part of cell membranes) and sterols (such as cholesterol). Lipids can help signal coronary heart disease and liver disease: Cholesterol (Can signal coronary heart disease), High-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol) and Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) (Can estimate risk for coronary heart disease) and Triglycerides (Together with levels of cholesterol, this lipid can help indicate risk for coronary heart disease).
Other metabolic substances can be measured to evaluate organ function: BUN (blood urea nitrogen) (Kidney function) and Uric acid (Can signal gout, kidney disease and other tissue damage).
Proteins can indicate metabolic and nutritional disorders, as well as certain cancers: Albumin (Can signal liver or kidney disease, or malnutrition) and Globulins (Can signal infection or inflammation and certain blood cancers).
Randox produce a range of clinical chemistry products for a wide variety analysers.
The decade 1980 to 1990 was the most progressive period in the short, but turbulent, history of clinical chemistry. New techniques and the instrumentation needed to perform assays have opened up a host of new and exciting opportunities. Multi-channel analysers, the base spectrophotometric key to automated laboratories, have become almost perfect. The extended use of the antigen-monoclonal antibody reaction with increasing sensitive labels has extended analyte detection routinely into the picomole/liter range. Devices that aid the automation of serum processing and distribution of specimens are emerging. Laboratory computerisation has significantly matured, permitting better integration of laboratory instruments, improving communication between laboratory personnel and the patient's physician, and facilitating the use of expert systems and robotics in the chemistry laboratory.
What is clinical chemistry?
Clinical chemistry uses chemical processes to measure levels of chemical components in the blood. The most common specimens used in clinical chemistry are blood and urine. Many different tests exist to test for almost any type of chemical component in blood or urine. Components may include blood glucose, electrolytes, enzymes, hormones, lipids (fats), other metabolic substances and proteins.
What are some common clinical chemistry tests?
The following is a description of some of the most common clinical chemistry tests (used on blood and urine specimens), including some of the uses and indications:
Blood glucose or blood sugar levels indicate how the body handles glucose. Measuring glucose levels after fasting can help diagnose diabetes mellitus or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Electrolytes may include sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Measuring electrolytes can specifically indicate certain metabolic and kidney disorders.
Enzymes are released into the blood by organs that are damaged or diseased. The type of enzyme released can indicate which organ is affected: creatine kinase (Can signal heart damage from heart attack or other), alanine aminotransferase (AAT, SGOT), aspartate or aminotransferase (AST, SGPT) (Can signal liver disorders and bone diseases), amylase and lipase (Can signal inflammation or cancer of the pancreas)
Hormones are secreted by the various endocrine glands. Raised or lowered levels of certain hormones can indicate over- or under-activity of those glands: Cortisol (Adrenal Glands), Thyroxine (T4), TSH (Thyroid Gland) and FSH, ACTH, growth hormones (Pituitary Gland).
Lipids are fatty substances such as triglycerides (body fat), phospholipids (part of cell membranes) and sterols (such as cholesterol). Lipids can help signal coronary heart disease and liver disease: Cholesterol (Can signal coronary heart disease), High-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol) and Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) (Can estimate risk for coronary heart disease) and Triglycerides (Together with levels of cholesterol, this lipid can help indicate risk for coronary heart disease).
Other metabolic substances can be measured to evaluate organ function: BUN (blood urea nitrogen) (Kidney function) and Uric acid (Can signal gout, kidney disease and other tissue damage).
Proteins can indicate metabolic and nutritional disorders, as well as certain cancers: Albumin (Can signal liver or kidney disease, or malnutrition) and Globulins (Can signal infection or inflammation and certain blood cancers).
Randox produce a range of clinical chemistry products for a wide variety analysers.