Commonly used instruments in clinical laboratories
Clinical Biochemistry
Dr. Anam Latif
Assistant Professor
Objectives
• 5.1* Know the instruments used in clinical laboratories
*The first digit is for Program Learning Outcome (PLO), while the second digit indicates the CLO
number
X-RAY
• An X-ray is a quick, painless test that produces images of the structures inside body
— particularly bones
• X-ray beams pass through your body, and they are absorbed in different amounts
depending on the density of the material they pass through
• Dense materials, such as bone and metal, show up as white on X-rays
• The air in your lungs shows up as black
• Fat and muscle appear as shades of gray
X-RAY
X-RAY
Bones and teeth
• Fractures and infections
• Arthritis
• Dental decay
• Osteoporosis
• Bone cancer
X-RAY
Chest
• Lung infections or conditions
• Breast cancer
• Enlarged heart
• Blocked blood vessels
X-RAY
Abdomen
• Digestive tract problems
• Swallowed items
CT scan
• Computed tomography is commonly referred to as a CT scan
• Diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer
technology to produce images of the inside of the body
• X-ray beam moves in a circle around the body
• Allows many different views of the same organ or structure and provides much
greater detail
• X-ray information is sent to a computer that interprets the x-ray data and displays it
in three-dimensional form on a monitor
CT scan
• Diagnose muscle and bone disorders, such as bone tumors and fractures
• Pinpoint the location of a tumor, infection or blood clot
• Guide procedures such as surgery, biopsy and radiation therapy
• Detect and monitor diseases and conditions such as heart disease, lung nodules and
liver masses
• Monitor the effectiveness of certain treatments, such as cancer treatment
• Detect internal injuries and internal bleeding
MRI
• Non-invasive imaging technology that produces three dimensional detailed
anatomical images
• Used for disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring
• Produce highly sophisticated and highly detailed images of the human body
• MRI uses radio waves and a computer to produce these detailed images
• It doesn’t use x-rays (radiation)
MRI
• Anomalies of the brain and spinal cord
• Tumors, cysts, and other anomalies in various parts of the body
• Injuries or abnormalities of the joints, such as the back and knee
• Certain types of heart problems
• Diseases of the liver and other abdominal organs
• The evaluation of pelvic pain and uterine anomalies in women
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ECG
• Electrocardiogram
• Recording of electrical changes that occurs in
heart during a cardiac cycle
• It works on the principle that a contracting
muscle generates a small electric current that
can be detected and measured through
electrodes suitably placed on the body
ECG
• Electrodes are placed on arms, legs and at six places on the chest over the area of the
heart
• The electrodes are attached to the person’s skin with the help of a special jelly
• The electrode picks up the current and transmit them to an amplifier inside the
electrocardiograph
• Then electrocardiograph amplifies the current and records them on a paper as a wavy
line
ECG
• An ECG can help detect:
Arrhythmias
Coronary heart disease
Heart attacks
Cardiomyopathy
ELISA
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
• Used to measure antibodies, antigens, proteins and glycoproteins in biological
samples
• Use highly specific antibody-antigen interactions