A modern and pragmatic definition of Laboratory Medicine
-
Giuseppe Lippi
and
Mario Plebani
Herein we propose a modern and pragmatic definition of Laboratory Medicine. Laboratory Medicine may henceforth be defined as “a clinical science and discipline, devoted to the quantitative measurement, or qualitative assessment, of any substance which can be assayed in any type of biological fluid of any animal species, thus including humans, for either medical or research purposes. The results of these measurements are translated into actionable information for improving the care and/or maintaining the wellness of both a single individual and an entire population”. This definition implicitly encompasses the use of a vast array of analytical methods, especially including – though not essentially limited to – colorimetric, enzymatic, turbidimetric, electrochemical, immunochemical, separation, nuclear magnetic resonance, cytochemical, clotting, molecular, cytogenetic and flow cytometry techniques [1]. These tests can be used for the screening, diagnosis, staging, prognostication and therapeutic monitoring of a kaleidoscope of pathological conditions, as well as for establishing health, fitness and predisposition towards certain activities and behaviors.
Whilst we favorably acknowledge that this advocated definition may stimulate additional and constructive debate on this matter, we also hope that it may be seen as a good starting point for widespread discussion and/or endorsement. We further refer to the EFLM document “Syllabus for postgraduate education and training for Specialists in Laboratory Medicine” for garnering specific indications on the skills, knowledge and competence of specialists in Laboratory Medicine [1].
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Reference
1. Jassam N, Lake J, Dabrowska M, Queralto J, Rizos D, Lichtinghagen R, et al. The European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine syllabus for postgraduate education and training for Specialists in Laboratory Medicine: version 5 – 2018. Clin Chem Lab Med 2018;56:1846–63.10.1515/cclm-2018-0344Search in Google Scholar PubMed
©2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Quality controls for serology: an unfinished agenda
- A modern and pragmatic definition of Laboratory Medicine
- Reviews
- Blood biochemical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systemic review and meta-analysis
- ISO/TS 20914:2019 – a critical commentary
- Mini Review
- Reporting of D-dimer data in COVID-19: some confusion and potential for misinformation
- Opinion Paper
- Implementation of metrological traceability in laboratory medicine: where we are and what is missing
- IFCC Recommendation
- Recommendation for performance verification of patient-based real-time quality control
- Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics
- Comparison of BCR-ABL1 quantification in peripheral blood and bone marrow using an International Scale-standardized assay for assessment of deep molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia
- General Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
- Risk assessment of the total testing process based on quality indicators with the Sigma metrics
- Determination of hemolysis cut-offs for biochemical and immunochemical analytes according to their value
- A computer model for professional competence assessment according to ISO 15189
- Traceability validation of six enzyme measurements on the Abbott Alinity c analytical system
- Evaluating the need for free glycerol blanking for serum triglyceride measurements at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
- Challenges of LC-MS/MS ethyl glucuronide analysis in abstinence monitoring of liver transplant candidates
- Changes in the result of antinuclear antibody immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells reflect disease activity status in systemic lupus erythematosus
- Reference Values and Biological Variations
- Long-term biological variation estimates of 13 hematological parameters in healthy Chinese subjects
- Age-specific reference values improve the diagnostic performance of AMH in polycystic ovary syndrome
- Establishment of reference intervals for immunoassay analytes of adult population in Saudi Arabia
- Hematology and Coagulation
- Total haemoglobin – a reference measuring system for improvement of standardisation
- Laboratory testing for activated protein C resistance: rivaroxaban induced interference and a comparative evaluation of andexanet alfa and DOAC Stop to neutralise interference
- Cancer Diagnostics
- Identification of a four-gene methylation biomarker panel in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma
- Performance comparison of two next-generation sequencing panels to detect actionable mutations in cell-free DNA in cancer patients
- Diabetes
- Availability and analytical quality of hemoglobin A1c point-of-care testing in general practitioners’ offices are associated with better glycemic control in type 2 diabetes
- Infectious Diseases
- Validation of a chemiluminescent assay for specific SARS-CoV-2 antibody
- Dynamic profile and clinical implications of hematological parameters in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019
- Does a change in quality control results influence the sensitivity of an anti-HCV test?
- Letters to the Editor
- Variability between testing methods for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection 16 days post-discharge: a case report
- L-index, more than a screening tool for hypertriglyceridemia
- Neutralization of biotin interference: preliminary evaluation of the VeraTest Biotin™, VeraPrep Biotin™ and BioT-Filter®
- Counting and reporting band count is unreliable practice due to the high inter-observer variability
- Cigarette smoking prior to blood sampling acutely affects serum levels of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease biomarker surfactant protein D
- How reliable is the detection of anti-mitochondrial antibodies on murine triple-tissue?
- Further advices on measuring lipoprotein(a) for reducing the residual cardiovascular risk on statin therapy
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Quality controls for serology: an unfinished agenda
- A modern and pragmatic definition of Laboratory Medicine
- Reviews
- Blood biochemical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systemic review and meta-analysis
- ISO/TS 20914:2019 – a critical commentary
- Mini Review
- Reporting of D-dimer data in COVID-19: some confusion and potential for misinformation
- Opinion Paper
- Implementation of metrological traceability in laboratory medicine: where we are and what is missing
- IFCC Recommendation
- Recommendation for performance verification of patient-based real-time quality control
- Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics
- Comparison of BCR-ABL1 quantification in peripheral blood and bone marrow using an International Scale-standardized assay for assessment of deep molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia
- General Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
- Risk assessment of the total testing process based on quality indicators with the Sigma metrics
- Determination of hemolysis cut-offs for biochemical and immunochemical analytes according to their value
- A computer model for professional competence assessment according to ISO 15189
- Traceability validation of six enzyme measurements on the Abbott Alinity c analytical system
- Evaluating the need for free glycerol blanking for serum triglyceride measurements at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
- Challenges of LC-MS/MS ethyl glucuronide analysis in abstinence monitoring of liver transplant candidates
- Changes in the result of antinuclear antibody immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells reflect disease activity status in systemic lupus erythematosus
- Reference Values and Biological Variations
- Long-term biological variation estimates of 13 hematological parameters in healthy Chinese subjects
- Age-specific reference values improve the diagnostic performance of AMH in polycystic ovary syndrome
- Establishment of reference intervals for immunoassay analytes of adult population in Saudi Arabia
- Hematology and Coagulation
- Total haemoglobin – a reference measuring system for improvement of standardisation
- Laboratory testing for activated protein C resistance: rivaroxaban induced interference and a comparative evaluation of andexanet alfa and DOAC Stop to neutralise interference
- Cancer Diagnostics
- Identification of a four-gene methylation biomarker panel in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma
- Performance comparison of two next-generation sequencing panels to detect actionable mutations in cell-free DNA in cancer patients
- Diabetes
- Availability and analytical quality of hemoglobin A1c point-of-care testing in general practitioners’ offices are associated with better glycemic control in type 2 diabetes
- Infectious Diseases
- Validation of a chemiluminescent assay for specific SARS-CoV-2 antibody
- Dynamic profile and clinical implications of hematological parameters in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019
- Does a change in quality control results influence the sensitivity of an anti-HCV test?
- Letters to the Editor
- Variability between testing methods for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection 16 days post-discharge: a case report
- L-index, more than a screening tool for hypertriglyceridemia
- Neutralization of biotin interference: preliminary evaluation of the VeraTest Biotin™, VeraPrep Biotin™ and BioT-Filter®
- Counting and reporting band count is unreliable practice due to the high inter-observer variability
- Cigarette smoking prior to blood sampling acutely affects serum levels of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease biomarker surfactant protein D
- How reliable is the detection of anti-mitochondrial antibodies on murine triple-tissue?
- Further advices on measuring lipoprotein(a) for reducing the residual cardiovascular risk on statin therapy
