Outdated Lab Tests

The utility of an old test—and the decision to eliminate it from the lab menu—is rarely a black and white issue and often involves resistance from certain physicians. Laboratorians weigh in on those tests they consider obsolete, offer alternatives, and suggest strategies for convincing physicians to use them.

The New Vitamin D

No longer associated with the rare case of rickets, research now suggests that vitamin D has important therapeutic values for a wide variety of disease, including cancer. For laboratorians, this could signal more demand for vitamin D assays.

HDL-C

The Changing Testing Paradigm

Part 2
By Alan T. Remaley, MD, PHD, and G. Russell Warnick, MS, MBA

Predicting CHD from the levels of various HDL subclasses remains controversial. In Part 2 of this article, the authors discuss the various lab methods available.

The Growth of Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Although mass spectrometers have decreased in price and complexity, clinical labs interested in employing this technology still must overcome some significant challenges. New CLSI guidelines offer some practical advice.