The journey of a blood sample #DiscoverPathology

The Royal College of Pathologists

15 Jun 201806:20

Summary

TLDRThe video script explains the process of how blood tests, specifically ferritin tests, are handled from sample collection to analysis. It follows the journey from when a blood sample is taken to its transportation by medical couriers, logging by hospital staff, and processing by biomedical scientists. The script highlights the importance of technology in managing large volumes of tests and the role of clinical scientists in interpreting results. It emphasizes teamwork, accuracy, and efficiency in providing critical health information to doctors and patients.

Takeaways

🔬 A clinical scientist explains the process of blood tests requested by a doctor, particularly focusing on ferritin, a storage compound for iron in the body.
🩸 Low ferritin levels indicate depleted iron stores, which may cause tiredness and breathlessness due to reduced hemoglobin production.
💊 High ferritin levels can lead to iron being deposited in organs, potentially causing health issues.
🏥 Blood samples are taken and sent to the lab, where they undergo various stages of testing, starting with a medical courier transporting the samples.
📝 Samples are logged upon arrival at the lab to ensure tracking throughout the testing process.
🧪 Blood is centrifuged to separate plasma, which is used for ferritin measurement and other tests.
🤖 Automated analyzers handle many tests simultaneously, but manual checks and troubleshooting by biomedical scientists are still essential.
📊 Ferritin test results are flagged for further review if they are abnormal and reviewed by clinical scientists before being shared with the patient’s doctor.
🧑‍🔬 Biomedical support workers manage samples, ensuring they are stored properly and disposed of safely after testing is complete.
🚮 Samples, once tested and stored, are eventually incinerated in a safe manner to destroy both the samples and any patient data, ensuring confidentiality.

Q & A

What is ferritin and why is it important?
-Ferritin is a storage compound for iron in the body, essential for producing hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body.
What symptoms might a patient experience if their ferritin levels are too low?
-If ferritin levels are low, it indicates that the body's iron stores are depleted. This can cause tiredness and, if hemoglobin levels drop, the patient may feel breathless.
What happens if ferritin levels are too high?
-Excessive ferritin may lead to iron being deposited in other organs, potentially affecting their function.
What is the process after a doctor requests a blood test?
-After the doctor requests a blood test, the patient provides a blood sample, which is sent to a laboratory where it undergoes various tests, such as for ferritin levels.
What is the role of a medical courier in the blood test process?
-The medical courier is responsible for transporting the blood samples to the hospital or laboratory for testing.
How is the blood sample prepared for testing in the laboratory?
-The sample is centrifuged, separating the plasma from the blood, as ferritin is measured in the plasma.
How do biomedical scientists use analyzers in the testing process?
-Biomedical scientists use analyzers to perform tests on multiple samples simultaneously, helping to process a large volume of tests efficiently.
What happens if the ferritin test results are abnormal?
-If ferritin levels are too high or too low, the result is flagged, and a biomedical scientist reviews and comments on the findings before sending them to the patient's doctor.
How are blood samples stored and disposed of after testing?
-Samples are stored for at least five days in case further tests are required. After this period, they are safely incinerated as clinical waste, ensuring all patient data is destroyed.
What role do clinical scientists play in the blood testing process?
-Clinical scientists review the test results provided by biomedical scientists, interpret the data, and provide comments on the patient's condition, such as iron deficiency.

Outlines

00:00

🩺 Understanding Blood Tests and Ferritin

Frances, a clinical scientist, explains the importance of blood tests, particularly focusing on ferritin, a storage compound for iron in the body. Adequate ferritin levels are essential for producing hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body. Low ferritin can lead to tiredness and breathlessness, while excessive ferritin can harm organs. The process starts with a blood sample requested by a doctor and sent to the laboratory for analysis. The segment introduces different professionals involved in transporting, handling, and testing the samples to ensure accurate results.

05:03

🔬 The Journey of a Blood Sample

The video illustrates the step-by-step process of handling blood samples at the hospital. Starting from the courier who transports the samples, the support staff logs and tracks them to ensure nothing is lost. Blood samples are then centrifuged to separate plasma, which is analyzed for ferritin levels. Different professionals, from medical support workers to biomedical scientists, explain their roles in handling and analyzing the samples. Advanced technology allows the team to process large volumes of samples daily, though manual checks are also conducted to ensure accuracy. Any abnormal results are flagged for further attention.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Ferritin

Ferritin is the storage compound for iron in the body. It is critical for making hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body. The video explains how too little ferritin indicates low iron stores, leading to tiredness and breathlessness, while too much can harm organs. Ferritin levels are measured in the laboratory to assess iron status.

💡Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. In the video, it is mentioned in relation to ferritin, as insufficient ferritin can lead to low hemoglobin levels, causing symptoms like fatigue and breathlessness in patients.

💡Blood sample

A blood sample is a small amount of blood taken from a patient for diagnostic testing. The video details the process from when a blood sample is taken, to its transportation, analysis in the lab, and eventual storage. Blood samples are essential for assessing things like ferritin and hemoglobin levels.

💡Biomedical scientist

A biomedical scientist is a professional responsible for analyzing biological samples and conducting tests. In the video, biomedical scientists oversee the operation of analyzers that process blood samples, troubleshoot errors, and interpret results to assist with patient diagnosis.

💡Plasma

Plasma is the fluid component of blood, carrying cells and nutrients throughout the body. In the video, plasma is separated from whole blood using a centrifuge to allow for testing specific substances like ferritin. Plasma is essential in diagnostic tests as it contains many of the chemicals being measured.

💡Centrifuge

A centrifuge is a machine that spins samples at high speeds to separate different components, such as plasma from blood cells. The video describes how blood samples are centrifuged to prepare them for further analysis, a crucial step in many diagnostic processes.

💡GP (General Practitioner)

A General Practitioner (GP) is a medical doctor who provides primary care and is often the first to request blood tests for patients. In the video, GPs are the ones who request tests like ferritin measurements to help diagnose conditions based on the test results provided by laboratories.

💡Clinical scientist

A clinical scientist analyzes and interprets test results, often working alongside biomedical scientists. In the video, clinical scientists review the data generated from blood tests to ensure accuracy and provide comments or recommendations to GPs based on the patient's iron levels.

💡Analyzer

An analyzer is an automated machine that processes biological samples to detect specific markers, such as ferritin levels. In the video, the analyzer runs thousands of tests simultaneously to ensure quick and accurate results, which are then reviewed by biomedical scientists and clinical scientists.

💡Sample storage

Sample storage refers to the practice of keeping blood samples for a certain period after analysis in case further tests are needed. In the video, it's explained that blood samples are refrigerated for five days before being safely disposed of, ensuring that they can be reanalyzed if necessary.

Highlights

A blood test is part of a spectrum of tests that a GP might request, with ferritin being a key measure of iron storage in the body.

Ferritin is the storage compound for iron in the body and is necessary to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body.

Low ferritin levels indicate that the body's iron stores are very low, potentially causing tiredness and breathlessness if hemoglobin drops.

High ferritin levels may result in iron being deposited in the body, potentially affecting other organs.

Blood samples are taken and sent to the laboratory where multiple steps occur, starting with the sample being logged for tracking purposes.

Blood samples are spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma, which is where ferritin levels are measured.

Biomedical scientists play a key role in processing samples, with machines capable of running many tests simultaneously.

In cases where ferritin levels are abnormal, the results are flagged for further review by clinical scientists.

Clinical scientists interpret the results to determine if the patient has iron deficiency or iron overload, then communicate these findings to primary care.

Laboratories process thousands of samples daily, relying on both advanced technology and manual techniques.

Once a blood sample is tested, it is stored for at least five days in case additional tests are needed.

Samples are ultimately destroyed in a safe manner after testing, ensuring that both the biological material and any patient identification data are handled securely.

Biomedical support workers play a key role in ensuring samples are correctly tracked, stored, and disposed of.

The teamwork between couriers, receptionists, technical staff, biomedical scientists, and clinical scientists ensures accurate and timely results for patients.

Getting results back quickly can make a significant impact on a patient’s diagnosis and treatment, highlighting the importance of the entire laboratory process.