Soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR), the latest addition to the Thermo Scientific Indiko analysers system reagent selection, is a state-of-the art solution for anemia monitoring. As sTfR is not an acute phase reactant, like ferritin, it can be used as a reliable anemia marker minimizing interferences when a chronic illness is present or suspected. Ferritin is the preferred test to evaluate stored iron but it may be increased with inflammation or chronic diseases. Anemia is one of the most widespread health problems, affecting one third of the world’s population. It is particularly a disease of children, young women and elderly people that affect the impaired immunological defense and cognitive performance. The fully automated bench-top Indiko and Indiko Plus analysers are CE marked systems offering accuracy and precision for anemia and other clinical and specialty chemistry testing. In addition of sTfR, also Iron, Transferrin and Ferritin are available as easy-to-use system solution. The system reagents are stable liquids providing ease-of-use and cost-effectiveness for small to mid-sized laboratories. They are available in optimized kit sizes to minimize waste.

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The DxH 500 hematology system with CE Mark is an openvial instrument offering a throughput of up to 60 samples per hour. It is the first analyser in a new range of workflowefficient hematology analysers able to deliver accurate, robust results from a finger prick of blood. The DxH 500 analyser has been specifically designed for low-volume hematology workloads and to promote rapid specimen turnaround and reduce patient wait times in small- and medium-sized clinics. Smaller than a standard microwave, the new instrument is able to provide a complete blood count (CBC) plus 5-part differential from as little as 12μL of whole blood or from 20μL of whole blood for pre-dilute analysis. This makes the DxH 500 ideal for pediatric and geriatric patients, for whom sample taking can be difficult. It is part of Beckman Coulter’s line of DxH hematology instruments (the DxH Workcell, DxH 800 Cellular Analysis System and DxH Slidemaker Stainer) incorporating the company’s multidimensional, high-definition flow cytometric technology. As part of the multi-site clinical reliability study to test its performance, uptime and workflow efficiencies, 36,000 samples were run across 26 sites in five continents. The DxH 500 exhibited less than or equal to one service call per year, providing uptime of more than 98%. In addition to high reliability, the system has several additional features to provide maximum uptime, with automatic start-up, fast reagent changes, no soft tubing, and minimum moving parts. It operates like a mobile phone, using touch screen technology so there is no need to add a PC and monitor. Low power consumption also reduces operational costs, with LED lighting replacing traditional lasers. The DxH 500 uses 50% less reagent volume per sample compared to other low-volume analysers so that a single set of reagent bottles can support hundreds of tests. Further, the DxH 500 needs only three reagents, which take less than two minutes each to replace, making better use of staff time and supporting a consistent workflow throughout the day. By providing non-toxic, cyanide-free and formaldehyde-free reagents, labs can reduce the cost of disposal and more easily meet environmental and regulatory compliance standards. Additionally, the DxH 500 supports laboratories’ paperless efforts with a bidirectional laboratory information system (LIS) interface for better data keeping. This integrated LIS interface can potentially help reduce data errors that occur during manual processes.
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Bio-Rad Laboratories recently announced CE IVD marking for its QX200 Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) System, the first digital PCR system for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) use in the European Union. With the CE IVD mark, medical practitioners in Europe can use the QX200 system for highly-accurate detection and quantification of nucleic acids, aiding clinical decision-making in the treatment of diseases ranging from cancer to transplant rejection and viral infection. As a diagnostic tool, the system is fast and cost-effective, making it ideal for realizing the promise of precision medicine. One aspect of cancer precision medicine that will be rapidly influenced by the QX200 ddPCR System is liquid biopsy, an increasingly popular technique used to non-invasively genotype tumours, track treatment efficacy, and predict cancer recurrence. This form of biopsy shows great promise for guiding treatment decisions. Prospective trials are currently underway to evaluate the effectiveness of liquid biopsy in a clinical setting and, specifically, the utility of combined Droplet Digital PCR and next generation sequencing in analysing genomic alterations. Since 2011, Droplet Digital PCR has been available for research use only. The technology, which partitions a DNA or RNA sample into 20,000 droplets and amplifies targeted sequences within each droplet, allows scientists to precisely detect and quantify low concentrations of target DNA and RNA sequences. This enables a range of important genomic applications, including cancer mutation detection, gene copy number determination, viral load monitoring, and gene edit detection.
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Addressing the challenges faced by point-of-care (POC) coordinators in the laboratory, the Ecosystem is an integrated component of the RAPIDComm Data Management System, an informatics solution which centrally manages Siemens in vitro diagnostic analysers and operators. The system encompasses eight core components including device management, operator management, quality control, compliance reporting, competency management, inventory management, remote monitoring and mobile access. POC testing continues to grow at a rapid pace and there is a strong need to provide fast and reliable results in order to improve patient outcomes and optimize clinical workflow. Although solutions for each of the eight core components do exist individually, efficiently managing all aspects of a POC testing programme requires close collaboration among hospitals, device manufacturers and IT vendors. The Siemens POC Ecosystem helps to address this challenge by implementing an integrated solution which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of POC programmes. The Ecosystem solution manages secure access to POC devices, oversees quality control, manages staff training plus identifies and resolves issues from any location via the remote access facility. This helps to ensure the manageability of instruments and consumables for potentially hundreds of testing devices throughout a Trust. External compliance requirements are also met while reducing costs and improving efficiencies. Ecosystem takes the core needs of a POC programme into consideration with a focus on helping POC coordinators improve control, effectiveness and transparency. The Ecosystem solution allows POC data management from anywhere within a hospital using tablets and smart phone, which improves the ability of POC coordinators to quickly and efficiently resolve issues.
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