Pathology Services

Clinical Laboratory Service

Where tests are usually done on clinical specimens in order to obtain information about the health of a patient as pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Our pathology and laboratory workforce comprises of qualified and experienced personnel and current instruments and equipment are used. Speed and accuracy are critical in diagnosis and administration of the right counsel and treatment to a patient. The delivery of test results are benchmarked against specified Turnaround time (TAT). Often, in diagnosis of a medical complaint, time is of the essence, and our systems and procedures are in place to ensure that not a moment is wasted in channelling the relevant information to the right source.

The Quest for Quality

We participate in various quality assurance programmes to ensure the laboratory remains in the top tier of the pathology industry.

The Accreditation of Pathology

The laboratory serves as an important link in providing high quality, patient oriented diagnostic services that conform to international standards, such as MS ISO 15189 and Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH).

LABORATORY OPERATING HOURS

The laboratory provides 24-hours services for critical services and normal working hours for others. The operating hours is as shown below:

Office hours

On-call Hours

Clinical Laboratory Services

Cytogenetic

Cytogenetics Laboratory

At Prince Court Medical Centre, our Cytogenetics Laboratory provides a range of standard and molecular cytogenetics testing. Trained and highly experienced, our professional and technical staff are committed to provide prompt and reliable analyses.

All tests are conducted by qualified senior laboratory scientist. Reports are provided by experienced and highly qualified cytogeneticists, Dr. Roziana Ariffin.

We offer wide selection of chromosome karyotyping and fluorescence in situ-hybridization (FISH) tests. All our tests are reported in accordance to the International System for Human Cytogenetics Nomenclature (ISCN, 2016).

We provide the following services:

1. Constitutional karyotyping (cord blood / foetal blood, peripheral blood0
2. Prenatal karyotyping (amniotic fluid)
3. Tumour karyotyping (bone marrow)

Cancer

a) Bone Marrow Karyotyping

2 ml bone marrow specimen preferably from the first or second aspiration in sodium heparin / lithium heparin vacutainer tube.

b) Blood Karyotyping

5ml peripheral blood (>10% blasts) in sodium heparin / lithium heparin vacutainer tube if the bone marrow aspiration is not successful.

Prenatal

a) Amniotic Fluid (AF) Karyotyping

15-20ml of AF in sterile conical (v-shape) tubes. Discard the first 2ml on sampling.

Postnatal

a) Peripheral Blood Karyotyping

• 3-5ml of Peripheral blood in sodium heparin / lithium heparin (green tap) vacutainer tube. Do not use EDTA.
• For newborns, collect a minimum of 1ml peripheral blood in sodium heparin / lithium heparin vacutainer tube.
• For deceased patients, 3-5ml blood collected by cardiac puncture (within 1 hour of death) in a sodium heparin / lithium heparin vacutainer tube.

b) Peripheral Blood Constitutional FISH

• Microdeletion syndromes (please contact laboratory in advance for probe availability).

Indication for Cytogenetics Studies

Indications for Prenatal Karyotyping

1. High risk of aneuploidy (trisomy or monosomy) from the result of a screening programme including advanced maternal age (1 in 250 and above).
2. Abnormal ultrasound scan findings indicative of chromosome abnormality.
3. Previous pregnancy with chromosomal abnormality.
4. Family history of chromosome disorder.
5. One parent is a known carrier or mosaic for chromosome abnormality.

Indications for Perinatal, Padeiatric / Adolescent Karyotyping

1. Dysmorphic features with mental retardation and / or multiple congenital abnormalities.
2. Unexplained learning difficulties / developmental delay.
3. Ambiguous genitalia (sex chromosome abnormality).
4. Delayed puberty, or abnormalities of secondary sexual development.
5. Family history of known chromosomal rearrangement.
6. Suspected microdeletion / deletion / duplication syndrome (includes FISH testing if probes are available).
7. Short stature, amenorrhoea (primary or secondary).
8. Subfertility or infertility of both male and female.
9. Parental Karyotyping for recurrent miscarriages or stillbirths.

Indications for Bone Marrow Karyotyping

1. Diagnosis, classification and monitoring of haematological malignancy.
2. Monitoring the engraftment and progress of sex mismatched bone marrow transplantation.

Important notes for sample collection and handling

1. All samples should be collected under sterile conditions.
2. Do not freeze the specimen and do not expose to temperatures above 30°C. A cool pack may be used but avoid direct contact with the specimen.
3. For samples from outside Klang Valley, please do not collect on Saturday, Sunday, Public Holiday or the day before Public Holiday.
4. Provide additional information of the following which is necessary for cytogenetics investigations:
   1. Presumptive diagnosis
   2. Relevant clinical information
   3. Date and time of sample collection
   4. For prenatal specimens, also include the following:
      • Gestational age
      • LMP (Last Menstrual Period)
   5. For haematological malignancies, also include the following:
      • Total white cell count

For specimen pick-up and transportation:

Please contact our Customer Service at 011-1221 3904 or

Cytogenetics Lab at 03-2160 0000 (ext. 3759 / 3753)

HISTOPATHOLOGY

Our services include histopathology and the development of protocols for new antibodies and in-situ hybridization probes. We provide histology and immunopathology service with a focus on renal immunofluorescence and second opinion referrals for lymphoma cases.

Pickup and Delivery Service

Offering pickup and delivery of pathology specimens, stock and other items to doctors and hospitals. We ensure the safe and timely transport of specimens using transportation bag equipped with temperature monitoring system to ensure pathology specimens are correctly stowed and via the shortest delivery route.

Pickup and Delivery Service for External Customer

Kindly contact us to arrange for laboratory pick up service:

011 – 1221 3904 (mobile)
03 – 2160 0757 (office)