Christopher Barbara, Clinical Chairman, Department of Pathology, Mater Dei Hospital

The pathology laboratories at Mater Dei Hospital provide the Dermatology Department with a wide range of tests which help in the diagnosis, management and monitoring of dermatological conditions. The Pathology Department receives many requests over the year from the Dermatology Department as shown below: Pathology Specimens from Dermatology Department

2014

2015

2016

2017 (up to Sept)

Microbiology

190

210

414

473

Chemistry

2216

2683

2722

2156

Haematology

1115

1166

1340

1033

Histopathology

1863

2040

2824

2359

Total

5384

6099

7300

6021

Advances in technology have expanded the menu of tests offered. Histopathology includes special stains for neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease including inflammatory dermatosis, infectious conditions and assessment of alopoecia. Immunohistochemistry is performed as required, predominantly for neoplastic disease but also, occasionally, for non-neoplastic conditions. There is also a direct immunofluorescence service. Flow cytometry is used in the diagnosis of cutaneous lymphoma. Microbiology will be improving its service by introducing the identification of bacteria and fungi using the Malditoff system. Besides being much cheaper and cost effective for organism identification, the turnaround time for identification from a colony will now be shortened to about 12 minutes. Virology has extended diagnosis of HIV using rapid 4th generation assays. These tests are point of care and an anonymous service of testing will be offered at the GU clinic. The molecular diagnostics laboratory has made several advances within the last years where multiplex PCR diagnostic tests are being offered. Viral loads are being processed locally for hepatitis B, C and HIV and antiviral resistance testing is also being done locally.

 

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