Standardization of Terminology in Laboratory Medicine II

Standardization of medical terminology is essential in data transmission between health care institutes and in maximizing the benefits of information technology. The purpose of this study was to standardize medical terms for laboratory observations. During the second year of the study, a standard database of concept names for laboratory terms that covered those used in tertiary health care institutes and reference laboratories was developed. The laboratory terms in the Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC) database were adopted and matched with the electronic data interchange (EDI) codes in Korea. A public hearing and a workshop for clinical pathologists were held to collect the opinions of experts. The Korean standard laboratory terminology database containing six axial concept names, components, property, time aspect, system (specimen), scale type, and method type, was established for 29,340 test observations. Short names and mapping tables for EDI codes and UMLS were added. Synonym tables were prepared to help match concept names to common terms used in the fields. We herein described the Korean standard laboratory terminology database for test names, result description terms, and result units encompassing most of the laboratory tests in Korea

Investigation of bone marrow involvement in malignant lymphoma using fluorescence in situ hybridization: possible utility in the detection of micrometastasis

We evaluated the usefulness of interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for the detection of bone marrow involvement of lymphoma, comparing the results with those of microscopic examination. Bone marrow aspirates obtained for staging work-up from 150 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma were used in this study. Interphase FISH study using four probes and conventional G-banding were performed on bone marrow aspirates. The four probes included locus specific identifier (LSI) immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) dual-color break-apart rearrangement probe, an LSI p16 SpectrumOrange/CEP 9 SpectrumGreen probe, an LSI BCL6 dual-color break-apart rearrangement probe. Among 150 cases, 29 cases (19.3%) showed infiltration of neoplastic lymphoid cells by microscopic examination. Chromosomal aberrations were detected by FISH in eight patients and by conventional cytogenetic study in three patients. FISH study showed 14q32 rearrangement in four patients (4/126, 3.2%), 9q21 rearrangement in no patients (0/144, 0%), 3q27 rearrangement in four patients (4/131. 3.1%), and a gain of 1q21q32 in two patients (2/115, 1.7%). Among eight patients with abnormal FISH patterns, six had normal karyotypes or no analyzable metaphase according to the conventional cytogenetic study. Seven patients with FISH abnormality showed bone marrow involvement of lymphoma by microscopic examination. One patient, who was defined as having no evidence of bone marrow involvement by microscopic examination, showed a 3q27 aberration in the FISH study. Although the number of patients with BM involvement that was detected by FISH was low, abnormal FISH patterns were detected in six patients who did not have abnormal karyotypes. Therefore, FISH analysis would be beneficial in cytogenetic diagnosis and follow-up study of minimal residual diseases, once the cytogenetic changes are detected at initial diagnosis

A Case of Myocarditis Associated With Plasmodium vivax Malaria

Cardiac complications in malaria have been infrequently associated with Plasmodium falciparum infections. However, myocarditis associated with Plasmodium vivax malaria has not been reported in the literature. We observed an unusual case of vivax malaria that was complicated by myocarditis.Costedoat-Chalumeau N, 2007, CARDIOLOGY, V107, P73, DOI 10.1159/000094079KIM A, 2007, KOREAN J PARASITOL, V45, P55Choi HJ, 2004, T ROY SOC TROP MED H, V98, P387, DOI 10.1016/j.trstmh.2003.12.002WARRELL DA, 2002, ESSENTIAL MALARIOLOG, P246Oh MD, 2001, AM J TROP MED HYG, V65, P143Carlini ME, 1999, CLIN INFECT DIS, V28, P1182FRANZEN D, 1992, CLIN INVESTIGATOR, V70, P670KERN P, 1989, AM J MED, V87, P139CLARK IA, 1989, T ROY SOC TROP MED H, V83, P436HERRERA JM, 1960, ARCH I CARDIOL MEX, V30, P26