ABPath Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine key terms

A confidential database that permanently or temporarily blocks individuals with disqualifying test results or histories from donating blood at any participating collection site.

The process of screening a prospective donor through health history, physical assessment, and laboratory testing to determine whether donation is safe for the donor and the recipient.

Removal of white blood cells from a blood component, usually by filtration, to reduce febrile reactions, cytomegalovirus transmission, and HLA alloimmunization.

Exposure of cellular components to a controlled radiation dose that inactivates lymphocytes, preventing transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease in susceptible recipients.

Treatment of blood components with methods such as psoralen plus ultraviolet light or solvent-detergent that inactivate infectious agents while preserving acceptable component function.

Highly sensitive molecular amplification methods used to detect viral genomes such as HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and West Nile virus during the infectious window period.

Testing donor blood for antibodies or antigens to infectious agents such as HIV, hepatitis viruses, syphilis, and Trypanosoma cruzi to identify potentially infectious units.

A pre-donation measurement of the donor's hemoglobin or hematocrit that ensures adequate red cell mass and protects the donor from iron deficiency anemia.

The drawing of approximately 450 to 500 milliliters of blood into an anticoagulant-preservative solution, subsequently separated into red cells, plasma, and platelets.

A component containing packed red blood cells with most plasma removed, stored in additive solution for up to 42 days and used to treat symptomatic anemia.

Plasma frozen within hours of collection that retains labile coagulation factors and is used to treat coagulopathy, factor deficiency, or massive transfusion.

A component prepared by whole blood pooling or apheresis that provides platelets for thrombocytopenic patients, stored with agitation at 20 to 24 degrees Celsius.

The cold-insoluble protein fraction of plasma rich in fibrinogen, factor VIII, factor XIII, and von Willebrand factor, used for fibrinogen replacement and bleeding management.

The major blood group system defined by A and B red cell antigens and naturally occurring anti-A and anti-B antibodies, determining compatibility for transfusion and transplantation.

A highly immunogenic blood group system centered on the D antigen, whose absence permits anti-D formation and makes Rh immune globulin important in pregnancy.

The laboratory process of determining the specificity of unexpected red cell antibodies using panels of reagent cells and techniques such as gel, tube, or solid-phase testing.

A test that detects unexpected antibodies in a patient's serum against reagent red cells, indicating the need for further identification before transfusion.

The final compatibility test in which donor red cells are tested against recipient serum to confirm ABO compatibility and absence of clinically significant incompatibility.

A test detecting antibodies or complement bound to a patient's red cells in vivo, central to diagnosing autoimmune hemolytic anemia and hemolytic transfusion reactions.

A laboratory technique that removes antibodies bound to red cells so their specificity can be characterized, often used in hemolytic disease of the newborn and transfusion reaction workups.

Anemia and jaundice in a fetus or neonate caused by maternal IgG antibodies crossing the placenta and destroying fetal red cells bearing the corresponding antigen.

An anti-D antibody preparation given to Rh-negative mothers to prevent alloimmunization and subsequent hemolytic disease of the newborn.

Rapid destruction of transfused red cells, most often from ABO incompatibility, causing fever, chills, pain, hypotension, hemoglobinuria, and potential renal failure.

A common transfusion reaction marked by fever or chills without hemolysis, usually caused by cytokines or leukocyte antibodies and managed by slowing or stopping the transfusion.

Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema developing within hours of transfusion, often linked to donor HLA or neutrophil antibodies, and a leading cause of transfusion-related death.

Volume overload causing dyspnea, hypertension, and pulmonary edema after transfusion, especially in patients with cardiac or renal impairment, requiring diuresis.

A rare, usually fatal complication in which donor lymphocytes engraft and attack recipient tissues, prevented by irradiating cellular components for at-risk patients.

The systematic investigation after a suspected reaction that checks clerical error, hemolysis, and serologic incompatibility and guides further patient management.

A predefined laboratory value, such as hemoglobin or platelet count, that triggers consideration of transfusion under a restrictive or liberal strategy.

An evidence-based multidisciplinary approach that optimizes erythropoiesis, minimizes blood loss, and uses restrictive transfusion triggers to reduce unnecessary transfusion.

Collection and storage of a patient's own blood before elective surgery so it can be reinfused, reducing exposure to allogeneic blood but requiring adequate time and hemoglobin.

A disorder of hemostasis from factor deficiency, platelet dysfunction, or fibrinogen depletion that can cause bleeding and may require plasma or cryoprecipitate replacement.

An inadequate post-transfusion platelet count increment, often immune-mediated by HLA or platelet-specific antibodies, or due to nonimmune factors such as fever or splenomegaly.

A procedure that selectively collects platelets from a donor with return of other blood elements, yielding a higher-dose product with less donor red cell loss.

An extracorporeal procedure that removes or replaces a specific blood component, such as plasma exchange or cytapheresis, to treat selected diseases.

A therapeutic apheresis procedure that removes patient plasma and replaces it with donor plasma or colloid, used for conditions such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Laboratory determination of human leukocyte antigen alleles used to match donors and recipients for transplantation and to select antigen-negative platelet products.

Infusion of stem cells collected from marrow, peripheral blood, or cord blood to reconstitute hematopoiesis after myeloablative therapy or for genetic disease.

A living cell-based biologic such as a stem cell or immune effector product that is collected, processed, labeled, and stored under strict quality standards.

Regulatory requirements for facilities, personnel, equipment, and processes that ensure the identity, strength, quality, and purity of manufactured biological products.

Routine testing and monitoring of reagents, equipment, and components against defined acceptance criteria to confirm that processes are performing as intended.

The broader program of policies, audits, and process review that ensures laboratory and transfusion services consistently meet defined standards and regulatory requirements.

Formal recognition by an external body such as AABB, CAP, or FACT that a facility meets established standards through inspection and ongoing compliance.