China ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; standards ; Pathology, Clinical ; methods ; Quality Control

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Interobserver variation by experience was documented for the diagnosis of esophagitis using the Los Angeles classification. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether interobserver agreement can be improved by higher levels of endoscopic experience in the diagnosis of erosive esophagitis. METHODS: Endoscopic images of 51 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms were obtained with conventional endoscopy and optimal band imaging (OBI). Endoscopists were divided into an expert group (16 gastroenterologic endoscopic specialists guaranteed by the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) and a trainee group (individuals with fellowships, first year of specialty training in gastroenterology). All endoscopists had no or minimal experience with OBI. GERD was diagnosed using the Los Angeles classification with or without OBI. RESULTS: The mean weighted paired kappa statistics for interobserver agreement in grading erosive esophagitis by conventional endoscopy in the expert group was better than that in the trainee group (0.51 vs 0.42, p<0.05). The mean weighted paired k statistics in the expert group and in the trainee group based on conventional endoscopy with OBI did not differ (0.42, 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver agreement in the expert group using conventional endoscopy was better than that in the trainee group. Endoscopic experience can improve the interobserver agreement in the grading of esophagitis using the Los Angeles classification.
Clinical Competence/*standards ; Esophagitis/classification/*pathology ; Esophagoscopy/*standards ; Gastroenterology/*standards ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/classification/pathology ; Humans ; Observer Variation ; Retrospective Studies

Animals ; Biological Specimen Banks ; China ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; standards ; Pathology ; standards ; trends ; Pathology, Clinical ; standards ; trends ; Quality Control ; Translational Medical Research

BACKGROUND: The Korean Laboratory Accreditation Program (KLAP) by the Korean Society of Laboratory Medicine (KSLM) was started in 1999. We summarized history and achievement of KLAP for the last 8 yr. METHODS: We analyzed 8 yr data (1999-2006) of historical events, trends of participating laboratories, and scores according to the impact of the question to the outcome of the tests. Inspection check lists are for 'laboratory management', 'clinical chemistry', 'diagnostic hematology', 'clinical microbiology', 'diagnostic immunology', 'transfusion medicine', 'cytogenetics', 'molecular genetics', 'histocompatibility', 'flow cytometry', and 'comprehensive laboratory test verification report'. The laboratories with score 90 or higher got 2-yr certificate and laboratories with score between 60 and 89 got 1-yr certificate. The laboratories with score below 60 failed accreditation. RESULTS: The number of accredited laboratories was 2.4 times higher in 2006 (n=227) than in 1999 (n=96). Inspection check lists have been revised 5 times till 2006. The average accreditation rate was 99.6% during these periods and the 2-yr accreditation rate was 32.4% in 2000, 45.6% in 2001, 53.3% in 2002, 47.3% in 2003, 68.5% in 2004, 37.7% in 2005, and 47.7% in 2006. Number of participants in inspector training workshops increased from 89 in 2000 to 766 in 2006. CONCLUSIONS: The KLAP has been in place successfully and stabilized over the past 8 yr. It seemed to enhance the laboratory quality. Efforts for improvement of quality control and inspector training workshops appeared to be in the main contributing factors.
Accreditation ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Korea ; Laboratories/*standards ; Pathology, Clinical/*standards ; *Program Evaluation

China ; Pathology Department, Hospital ; manpower ; organization & administration ; standards ; Pathology, Clinical ; organization & administration ; standards ; Quality Assurance, Health Care ; organization & administration

Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Pathology, Clinical ; organization & administration ; standards

TNM staging is essential for clinical decision-making and prognostic prediction for patients with gastric cancer. The 7th TNM staging manual was formulated in 2009 and implemented in 2010. However, it was published that there were some deficiencies of the 7th edition of gastric cancer TNM staging system in clinical application process, and this old staging system could not meet the clinical needs. With the cooperation and promotion of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), the International Union for Cancer Control (UICC) and the International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA), and through the accumulation and analysis of gastric cancer big data, the 8th TNM staging system was published at the end of 2016. The updated staging system has defined the selection of staging system for esophagogastric junction cancer. It also has divided N3 into N3a and N3b, which has been incorporated into the new staging system, leading to more accurate risk stratification. Moreover, the cTNM staging system and ypTNM staging system have been added in the new staging manual. Overall, the 8th TNM staging system can facilitate more reasonable decision-making, more accurate prognostic prediction and better evaluation of therapeutic strategy. It is of high value to promote diagnostic and therapeutic standard for gastric cancer.
Clinical Decision-Making ; Esophagogastric Junction ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; standards ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; classification

Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Laboratory Science ; methods ; Pathology, Clinical ; methods ; standards ; Prognosis

INTRODUCTIONThis paper shows the importance and value of external proficiency testing programmes in monitoring and improving a laboratory's diagnostic skills. It reviews and documents the wide variety of inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) encountered in the programmes organised by the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and the College of American Pathologists.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe programmes used actual patient specimens to assess a laboratory's ability to provide diagnoses based on laboratory tests results and brief clinical information. Participating laboratory was also required to suggest additional test(s) to confirm diagnoses.

RESULTSThe results of diagnoses on 116 samples were reviewed. Altogether 49 IMDs were encountered, including 26 organic acidurias, 16 aminoacidurias, 3 urea cycle defects, 5 mucopolysaccharidoses, and 1 each of mucolipidosis and purine disorder. Our report for 21 of the 116 samples (18.1%) deviated from the actual diagnoses. Deviations from the final diagnoses were recorded along with the reasons for them. The main reasons for the deviations were: the lack of standards for recognising metabolites of pathognomonic significance, absence of characteristic metabolites in samples collected during treatment, the presence of misleading unusual metabolites, inadequate clinical information, and inability to perform additional tests due to insufficient specimens.

CONCLUSIONSThe programmes provided a wide variety of IMDs, some of which we have yet to encounter in our patients. They also enabled us to learn about the varied biochemical manifestations at different stages of disease and the identity of previously unidentified metabolites. They enhanced our knowledge and experience and improved our diagnostic skills.

Australia ; Humans ; Laboratories ; standards ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; diagnosis ; New Zealand ; Pathology, Clinical ; standards ; Professional Competence ; Program Evaluation ; Quality Assurance, Health Care ; Quality Control ; Specimen Handling ; standards

Age Factors ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Body Mass Index ; Chemistry, Clinical ; standards ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; pathology ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; blood ; pathology ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Liver Diseases ; blood ; pathology ; Male ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors