News & Events
This will take effect July 16, 2012
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Effective July 16, 2012, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM antibody testing will be performed on the Bioplex 2200 using a multiplex flow immunoassay methodology. CMV IgM is for the detection of human IgM antibodies to cytomegalovirus virus in human serum, as an aid in the determination of current or recent CMV infection.
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This will take effect July 9, 2012
OVERVIEW AND CLINICAL UTILITY:
Effective July 9, 2012, PathGroup Labs will only offer the following glucose tests. Test codes are unchanged, but test names have been standardized. The test panels below and associated reference ranges are based on recommendations by ADA and ACOG. Other glucose testing panels which are not endorsed by ADA or ACOG will no longer be available. Random glucose reference ranges will also be updated.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn.—One of the largest physician-owned pathology groups in the United States and a leader in the field of anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology, PathGroup is pleased to introduce its new brand identity in conjunction with the launch of the company’s new web site www.pathgroup.com.
PathGroup’s new logo and tagline—“Physician Centered. Patient Focused.”—were designed to reflect the company’s mission and momentum in the pathology field.
“The fact that we are physician owned is a real advantage to our customers,” said Richard Halstead, senior vice president of marketing for PathGroup. “Our inherent understanding of where they’re coming from and what their challenges are uniquely positions us to deliver a superior product.”
Direct access to PathGroup’s experienced team of pathologists is a key feature of PathGroup’s offering, one that leads to better client relationships—and better patient outcomes. PathGroup’s new identity and user-friendly web site are reflective of that culture of openness.
“We wanted the new site to be a resource for our physician customers—and their patients,” said Lisa DeMoss, director of marketing for PathGroup, “as well as something that can grow and evolve as our company does too.”
The News, Events, and Resources portal will serve as a living library, featuring a variety of useful content, including announcements, useful links, terminology and tools physicians can use to communicate about test results with their patients.
Active links to PathGroup’s technology applications provide easy access to client login screens, making the new site more of a home base for clients, when it comes to their pathology needs.
Said DeMoss, “We welcome the heightened interactivity the new site should bring.”
This will take effect May 14, 2012
OVERVIEW AND CLINICAL UTILITY:
Effective May 14, 2012, Free and Total Testosterone for females and children will be performed in house. The concentration of free testosterone is derived from a mathematical expression based on the measurement of testosterone by LC/MS and sex hormone binding globulin. This test is suggested for women and children due to the improved sensitivity of testosterone by LC/MS. Reference ranges for Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone will be updated based on our patient population. Testosterone, the major androgenic hormone in humans, is commonly measured to aid in the diagnosis of clinical conditions related to its excess or deficiency. In addition, testosterone measurements are used to monitor testosterone replacement or anti-androgen therapy.
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This will take effect April 17, 2012
Clinical Utility:
A positive bias has been observed for the current Thyroglobulin reagent. A nation-wide shortage has made it impossible to order replacements for our current reagents. Therefore, effective April 17, 2012 PathGroup will switch testing to an alternate platform which will result in a change to expected values and the Reference Range for Thyroglobulin Antibodies. Thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) are often present in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. This assay is intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s and Graves’ diseases which are autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid gland. This assay is also necessary to identify patients whose serum contains Thyroglobulin autoantibodies that may interfere with serum Thyroglobulin measurements.
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This change will take effect February 24, 2012
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Effective February 24, 2012 PathGroup will implement the Optimized Serum Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody Assay. This assay is intended to be used as an aid for in vitro diagnostic use in the quantitative determination of autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase in serum using the ADVIA Centaur XP systems.
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This change will take effect February 24, 2012
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Effective February 24, 2012 PathGroup will implement the Optimized Serum Anti-Thyrogobulin Assay. This assay is intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s and Graves’ diseases which are autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid gland.
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This change will take effect February 6, 2012
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Effective February 6, 2012, PathGroup will implement the Restandardized Serum Folate Assay. Folate is an essential vitamin vital to normal cell growth and DNA synthesis. Folate deficiency can be caused by insufficient dietary intake, malabsorption or excessive folate utilization which occurs very commonly during pregnancy, alcoholism, hepatitis, or other liver‐damaging diseases. World Health Organization Technical Consultation states that a folate less than 4 ng/mL is considered deficient and can lead to megaloblastic anemia and ultimately to severe neurological problems.
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This change will take effect December 15, 2011
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Effective December 15, 2011, PathGroup will change testing kits for Toxoplasma IgM testing in house. The Platelia Toxo IgM is an in vitro diagnostic test kit allowing the qualitative detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii in human serum or plasma (EDTA, Heparin, or Citrate). The Platelia Toxo IgM assay is presumptive for detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and presumptive for the diagnosis of acute, recent, or reactivated Toxoplasma gondii infection. The performance of the Platelia Toxo IgM assay has not been established for neonate testing.
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This change will take effect May 17, 2012
Overview and Clinical Utility:
Because of their low sensitivity, enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests are no longer recommended for detection of C. difficile toxin in stool specimens.1 Recent literature indicates that nucleic acid amplification-based assays provide sensitivities and specificities comparable to toxigenic culture, the current “gold standard” and provide significantly shorter turnaround times.
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