Cambodia Laboratory Exit Exam key terms

The range of test results expected in a healthy reference population, usually covering the central 95 percent of values, used to judge whether a patient result is normal or abnormal.

A systematic, consistent deviation of measured values from the true value, caused by calibration errors, reagent problems, or method limitations, and not reduced by repeating the test.

The process of adjusting an instrument or test system using materials of known concentration so that reported results trace back to a defined standard and remain accurate over time.

The property of a measurement result being linked to a stated reference, usually a certified reference material or higher-order method, through an unbroken chain of documented comparisons.

A panel of hematology measurements including hemoglobin, red cell indices, white cell count with differential, and platelet count, used to screen for anemia, infection, and hematologic disease.

A stained smear of blood examined under a microscope to assess cell shape, size, maturation, and inclusions, and to confirm abnormal counts flagged by automated analyzers.

A measure of newly released red cells still containing residual RNA, expressed as a percentage or absolute number, indicating whether the bone marrow is responding adequately to anemia.

The iron-containing protein in red cells that carries oxygen; its concentration in blood is the primary laboratory criterion for defining and grading anemia.

A pretransfusion compatibility test in which donor red cells are tested against recipient serum, together with antibody screening, to prevent hemolytic transfusion reactions.

Determination of a person's ABO blood group by testing red cells for A and B antigens and serum for the corresponding antibodies, the foundation of safe transfusion practice.

A test of patient serum against reagent red cells to detect clinically significant irregular antibodies against red cell antigens before transfusion or during pregnancy.

Laboratory methods such as disk diffusion or minimum inhibitory concentration determination that measure whether a bacterial isolate is inhibited by specific antibiotics, guiding therapy and surveillance.

The lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that visibly inhibits growth of a bacterial isolate under defined conditions, interpreted against clinical breakpoints as susceptible, intermediate, or resistant.

A validated concentration threshold used to classify a microorganism as susceptible, intermediate, or resistant to an antimicrobial, based on pharmacokinetic, clinical, and resistance data.

Isolation and identification of a pathogen from a clinical specimen followed by testing its drug susceptibility, producing the report that clinicians use to select effective treatment.

A differential staining method that divides bacteria into gram-positive and gram-negative groups by cell wall properties and shows morphology and arrangement under the microscope.

The visible characteristics of bacterial growth on solid media, including size, shape, color, hemolysis, and consistency, used as a first step in identifying an isolate.

A molecular technique that amplifies specific nucleic acid sequences through repeated cycles of denaturation, primer annealing, and extension, enabling sensitive detection of pathogens.

The quantity of viral nucleic acid in a body fluid, usually plasma, reported as copies or international units per milliliter and used to monitor treatment response.

Laboratory testing that determines whether a fungal isolate is inhibited by antifungal drugs, using standardized broth dilution or gradient methods with species-specific breakpoints.

Microscopic examination of stool, sometimes after concentration, to detect parasite eggs, cysts, larvae, and trophozoites, the mainstay of intestinal parasite diagnosis.

A stool processing technique that sediments parasites by centrifugation after formalin fixation and ether extraction, increasing detection of light infections compared with direct smear.

A stained drop of blood spread thickly on a slide and examined for malaria parasites; it concentrates parasites and increases sensitivity but distorts morphology.

A monolayer blood smear stained to identify malaria species and quantify parasitemia, since red cell and parasite morphology are preserved for species-level diagnosis.

An immunochromatographic device detecting pathogen antigens, such as malaria histidine-rich protein 2, giving results within minutes without microscopy or specialized equipment.

A plate-based immunoassay using enzyme-labeled antibodies or antigens and a color-producing substrate to detect or quantify specific antibodies or antigens in serum.

The interval after infection when a pathogen is present but detectable markers such as antibodies have not yet appeared, causing false-negative serology results.

The probability that a test correctly identifies people who truly have the condition, calculated as true positives divided by true positives plus false negatives.

The probability that a test correctly identifies people who truly do not have the condition, calculated as true negatives divided by true negatives plus false positives.

The probability that a positive or negative result correctly reflects the presence or absence of disease, which depends on test sensitivity, specificity, and disease prevalence.

The set of activities, including running control materials and reviewing results, that verifies a test system is performing within acceptable limits before patient results are released.

A program in which an outside body sends blind samples to a laboratory and compares its results with peer laboratories, providing objective evidence of testing performance.

A ventilated enclosure that protects the worker, the environment, and sometimes the product from infectious aerosols through controlled airflow and high-efficiency filtration.

Items such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection worn to prevent contact with blood, body fluids, and infectious aerosols during laboratory work.

The process of obtaining, labeling, and transporting a biological sample under conditions that preserve its integrity and ensure correct linkage to the patient.

A mistake occurring before testing, such as mislabeling, wrong tube, delayed transport, or improper storage, that can invalidate results regardless of laboratory test quality.

Introduction of foreign material, organisms, or nucleic acid into a specimen or test system that can cause false-positive or misleading results, especially in molecular assays.

A disease that laboratories and clinicians are legally required to report to public health authorities so that surveillance, investigation, and control measures can be triggered.

The systematic process of confirming cases, describing the pattern, identifying the source, and implementing control measures for an unusual increase in disease.

A patient's voluntary agreement to testing or research after receiving understandable information about purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives, documented appropriately.

The ethical and legal duty to protect patient information from unauthorized disclosure, sharing results only with those entitled to receive them for care or mandated reporting.