Unit Diagnostics : Diabetes & Endocrine Unit - Cardiovascular, Diabetes And Nutrition Research Centre
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
The centre maintained a low level of diagnostic activity mainly in Diabetic & Endocrine Unit. A total of 15, 458 tests were performed during the year compared to 15,902 tests in 2008. The types and total number of each test performed in the year 2008 and 2009 are shown in Table 1
No |
Name of Diagnostic Tests |
No of samples |
No of samples |
2008 |
2009 |
||
1 |
iPTH |
10,200 |
10,784 |
2 |
Testosterone |
550 |
500 |
3 |
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) |
210 |
80 |
4 |
Growth Hormone |
767 |
408 |
5 |
Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) |
844 |
686 |
6 |
Thyroglobulin |
2731 |
2550 |
7 |
17-OH Progesterone |
500 |
450 |
8 |
C-Peptide |
100 |
0 |
Total |
15,902 |
15,458 |
Table 1: The types and total number of each test performed in the year 2008 and 2009
In-keeping with the IMR policy, the Unit only provide very specialized diagnostic tests, rarely or could not be performed in government hospital laboratories for reasons such as lack of expertise or logistics. Diagnostic workload for intact-PTH assay remained the highest as this unit is the only laboratory in the country that is using the 3rd generation whole-PTH radioimmunoassay kit which specifically only measures whole the intact molecule and requires the use of a gamma counter.
Assay for C-peptide had to be discontinued from year 2009 onwards due to low demand and hence was not cost-effective to continue the service. The numbers of requests for diagnostic tests made in the span of 15 years are shown in the Table 2.
Year |
No. of Tests |
1995 |
36,118 |
1996 |
25,632 |
1997 |
17,927 |
1998 |
11,603 |
1999 |
6,068 |
2000 |
7,824 |
2001 |
8,211 |
2002 |
8,997 |
2003 |
10,420 |
2004 |
10,433 |
2005 |
14,462 |
2006 |
12,162 |
2007 |
13,580 |
2008 |
15,902 |
2009 |
15,458 |
Table 2: Number of requests for diagnostic tests made in the span of 14 years
The laboratory is equipped to do immunoassays both by isotopic and non-isotopic techniques, as well as the standard biochemical tests on serum/plasma/urine mainly for research purposes. As in the previous years, integrity of laboratory results generated was monitored through quality assurance procedures with periodic maintenance of all equipments used.