Allied Health Professions

Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Medical Laboratory Technology Career

Clinical/Medical Laboratory - What is it?

1. What is the medical/clinical (hospital) laboratory?

Place where various types of body fluids and tissues are analyzed in order to diagnose diseases and to monitor their treatment.

People with various levels of training and education are involved -
• OJT - clerical, computer operators
• certificates - phlebotomists, histotechnicians
• associate, AD - MLTs
• bachelors, BS - MTs, CTs
• specialists - BS + 5 years expertise in one specialty
• some advanced degrees - administration, research
• MD - pathologists

They go to various departments in the laboratory for testing and analyses. We will visit these different departments on our "tour".

We can make many diagnoses from the analyses of all types of body fluids, but mainly from blood specimens. From just a few drops of blood, we can determine if there is leukemia, anemia, diabetes, heart attack, liver problems, kidney function problems, hormonal/endocrine problems, the type of infection, drug overdose, just to name a very few.

In order to perform any analysis or testing, a hospital laboratory has to be licensed and/or accredited by various government agencies that verify the quality of the testing. The lab is required to educated/certified personnel to perform the testing. It is also required to have various procedures and policies established, such as quality control procedures, quality assurance protocols, instrument maintenance, and problem solving mechanisms. It is also to participate in national proficiency testing programs. 

Clinical/Medical Laboratory - Let's take a tour!

Anatomical pathology
Clinical pathology

Evaluation of tissues from surgery, includes gross and microscopic evaluation by Pathologist for diagnosis (moles, tonsils, appendix, etc)

Anything that is removed in surgery, even screws or metal plates, has to be taken to the laboratory for evaluation.

Evaluation of various fluids (such as lung, urine, etc), for indications of cancer (eg, PAP smears, etc)

Evaluation of the cellular components in the blood, and evaluation of coagulation processes

• RBCs - anemias (Sickle Cell, Iron Deficiency)
• WBCs - leukemias
• Platelets, coagulation factors - clotting abnormalities (Hemophilia).

Graduate MLT student, Susan Smurdon is evaluating a blood smear at St. Anthony Medical Center, Crown Point, IN.

• Urine - cells, casts (kidney function)
• Spinal fluid - cells (meningitis)
• Knee fluid - crystals (gout, etc)
• Feces - blood 

Evaluation of blood for antibodies and compatibility when units of blood are needed for emergency and surgical transfusions

• ABO blood types
• Crossmatches - ensure compatibility with donor unit
• (Autologous donations are common)

Graduate MLT students, Tawanda Campbell (bottom right) and Jose Ruiz, (upper left) here is doing a crossmatch at St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center, North Campus, Hammond, IN.

Evaluation of serum/plasma (fluid in blood) and other body fluids for chemical analyses -

• Glucose - diabetes
• Cholesterol - lipid abnormalities, heart attack risk
• Enzymes - heart attack, hepatitis
• Proteins - abnormal production or loss (myeloma, abnormal kidney function)
• Hormones - pregnancy, thyroid, fertility, etc
• Drugs - therapeutic medications, toxic overdoses
• Tumor markers - monitor treatments (CEA, etc)

MLT graduate, Niccole Karnafel, (left)  is operating a chemistry analyzer at Methodist Hospital, Northlake Campus, Gary, IN.

MICROBIOLOGY - 

Evaluation of body fluids and tissues for infectious agents and their treatment (antibiotics)

• Cultures of urine, throat, wounds - for bacteria, parasites, etc
• Susceptibility testing - determine which antibiotics are effective against organism

Angela Mendoza, MLT graduate is setting up a culture at The Community Hospital, Munster, IN.

Immunology - (often combined in another dept)

Evaluation of blood for body's response (production of antibodies) to various stimuli/agents -

• Rubella, rheumatoid factor, hepatitis tests, HIV tests, etc