Introduction to diagnostic laboratory immunology
T. A. Fleisher and R. H. Tomar
Assays performed in the diagnostic immunology laboratory support the
diagnosis and management of a wide spectrum of clinical conditions. This
chapter reviews immunologic principles as they apply to diagnostic
laboratory assays. Most of the determinations are based on well-established
principles of antigen-antibody reactions. Some of the specific areas
discussed include flow cytometric analyses, critical in the care of
patients with hematologic malignancies, with the acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome, or undergoing transplantation, and protein electrophoretic assays
to identify the presence of monoclonal gammopathies. We also discuss the
use of molecular techniques in the diagnosis of hematologic malignancies
and primary immunodeficiencies, characterization of the major
histocompatibility complex, and enumeration of viral burden.
