DEPARTMENT OF LABORATORY SERVICES

Laboratory Diagnostics forms a critical input for medical management of patients. Department of laboratory services at Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital contributes to excellent patient care by providing comprehensive, high quality laboratory testing and patient-focused expert consultation. The laboratory offers round the clock service ( 24x7) and provides accurate results within the shortest turnaround time. The tests are performed by qualified and highly experienced technical staff using state of the art diagnostic equipment. Our laboratory performs over 3 lakh tests per year and offers more than 300 test services in the field of Biochemistry, Haematology, Clinical pathology, Infectious disease serology, and Clinical Microbiology, Histopathology and Cytopathology.

Our lab consultants are qualified medical doctors and well experienced in their area of expertise. Lab consultants are readily available to advise treating physicians on which tests to order and also discuss the implications of test results. Lab quality control is strictly implemented and the lab quality is authenticated by external quality assurance programme. Our laboratory is NABL accredited since 2016.

Our lab test procedures undergo rigorous quality check (IQC – Internal Quality Control) daily. All sections of our lab participate in External Quality Assessment (EQA) through established PT (Proficiency Testing) programs. Both IQC and EQA of our lab ensures that the patient test results are accurate and highly reliable. All critical test results (life threatening test results) are promptly notified to the concerned physician, for providing necessary urgent patient care. Interfacing of our lab equipment with our Lab Information System (LIS) automatically transfers the test results thus eliminating manual entry errors. All the tests results are reviewed thoroughly and authorized by our lab consultants in the LIS, before issuing the final test report. Physicians can access their patient test results from the comfort of their office through our LIS .

The department is also involved in research projects focusing on clinical utility and outcome assessment of new tests and their appropriate use.

The clinical biochemistry laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art arterial blood gas and electrolyte analyzers, fully automated analyzers for routine serum and urine chemistry parameters, fully automated fluorescence-based immunoassay analyzer for hormones and other special parameters, osmometer based on freezing point depression and a dedicated instrument for faster blood ammonia testing.

Our consultant biochemists provide excellent support to intensive care units (neonatal and pediatric) and clinicians by their expert opinion on blood gas analysis, clinical chemistry and immunoassay results.

Our clinical biochemistry laboratory is one of the few referral centers for therapeutic drug monitoring of serum paracetamol and methotrexate levels with the shortest turnaround time providing accurate results helping in prompt patient management. Our laboratory performs sweat chloride analysis with the shortest turnaround time, providing maximum comfort for the patient. Urine screening for inborn errors of metabolism is performed by skilled technical staff.

Our hematology lab is equipped with latest automated haematology analyzers and coagulation analyzer. Our lab serves as referral laboratory to many tertiary/quaternary care hospitals for tests like Nitro blue Tetrazolium Test (NBT), Kleihauer-Betke test (KBT), Sickling Test, Osmotic Fragility Test (OFT), bone Marrow aspiration study, peripheral smear study, Factor VIII, Factor IX, Factor XIII and mixing studies for coagulation factor deficiencies, as we provide high quality accurate test result at shortest TAT.

Our consultant pathologists, provide major support to Haemato-oncology and Bone Marrow transplant unit of KKCTH, through their expert advice on pediatric haemato-oncology diseases, ranging from hemolytic anemias, leukemias and immunodeficiencies. Our pathologists work in collaboration with physicians, to ensure a complete, well-rounded diagnosis, by direct interaction, regular tumor board and Clinico-Pathological Correlation meetings. Clinical pathology lab equipped with automated urine analyzer and highly trained lab professionals, provide accurate results for often ordered tests (urine routine, stool routine) to detect urinary tract infection and parasitic enteric infection.

Histopathology lab equipped with automatic bench top tissue processor, world class microtome and top-grade equipments prepares high quality tissue sections. A team of expert consultant pathologists and well-trained histopathology technicians ensure accurate reports in a short turnaround time.

Our highly trained pathologists offer excellent support to oncology, haematology, gastroenterology and surgical unit through their skilled expertise in reporting a wide range of specimens including, endoscopic biopsy, image guided core biopsies, bone marrow biopsies and surgical resection specimens. All surgical specimens are processed by standard technique and tumors are reported with grading and staging according to Internationally used classifications.

Our histopathology lab offers second opinion consultation service, where our consultant pathologists give their expert opinion on any submitted pathology slides. Lab also offers panel of Immunohistochemistry tests for specific pediatric pathology cases.

Our cytopathology lab offers Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) for aspirations, cytology of body fluids and other specimens (BAL, sputum, brushings).

Our microbiology lab provides prompt and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases through various bacterial & fungal culture, serology and molecular tests. Consultant microbiologists readily provide interpretation of test reports to physicians, facilitating the management of infections in patients. Our microbiology lab also offers rapid tests for detection of group A beta hemolytic Streptococcus in throat swab, RSV in nasopharyngeal aspirate and Rota/Adeno virus in stool, Salmonella typhi IgM in serum, for fast initiation of effective infection treatment.

Our microbiology lab is equipped with automated blood culture system, automated Identification & Antimicrobial Sensitivity system, automated immunoanalyser based on the Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay technology, fully automatic Real time Quantitative micro PCR analyzer, instruments for performing ELISA and immunoturbidimetry tests. Our consultant microbiologists provide great support to the pediatric infectious disease unit for the management of highly drug resistant bacterial infections, via antibiotic susceptibility test report interpretation, reporting with MIC break points and providing synergy testing between Ceftazidime-Avibactam and Aztreonam.