Laboratory Department

Laboratory Department is committed to provide high standards of flexible and innovative services, based on departmental teamwork, advanced facilities, highly competent and skilled staff.

Laboratory Department determines and understands what the customer wants and ensures that operations and processes produce it.

Specialties

1. Blood Bank: The blood bank’s services start from donation collections.  Donors are either volunteers committed to non-specific patient or volunteers donate to specific patient (replacement).

   Blood bank is committed to provide blood and blood products which are safe and quality assured.  Procedures are done according to Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health standards as well as International standards like American Blood Bank Association and British Blood Banks standards. 

   Some of the procedures we do to ensure safety of blood: 

   • Donor questionnaire to exclude any risk of transmission of diseases.

   • Donations screen for infectious diseases like Hepatitis B, C, HIV, HTLV, Syphillis and Malaria.  In fact Hepatitis B is tested by means of 3 types of tests: HIV by testing for both the virus proteins as well as for Antibodies against the virus.  In addition Liver Enzymes are tested whenever there is any suspicion of risk. Reagents used for these tests are FDA approved.

   • We use blood filters to eliminate risk of infections carried by donor white cells. Blood and blood products are filtered at the blood bank before they are being issued to the patients.

   The room for donation is equipped to ensure comfort and safety to blood donors and also to ensure sterile techniques for collecting blood.

   • We have an excellent machine, Cobe Spectra which can collect platelets without taking the red cells of the donor and is useful for both donors and for patients who need platelets only.

2. Microbiology: Provide variable tests for microbes from different types of body fluids and sites. Culture tests as well as tests for microbes sensitivity to drugs are available.

3. Serology: Equipped with fully-automated machines like Axsym of Abbott Company in addition to Elisa semi-automated machine.  Fluorescence microscopy is available for some serological tests.  Wide range of tests for infectious and non-infectious diseases and auto immune diseases are available:

   • Screen and quantitative techniques for pregnancy hormones and other hormones.

   • Hepatitis markers are also available.  Kits used are quality assured and FDA approved.

4. Biochemistry: Fully-automated most modern equipments are used.  Vitros, dry chemistry analyzers are used in addition to Axsym and IMX.  Quality assurance is a daily process.  Wide range of tests include:

   • General Chemistry, Lipids Profiles, Bone Profiles, Liver and Kidney Profiles, Cardiac Enzymes, Hormone Assays.

   • Tests for Therapeutic Drugs monitor.

   • Tumor Markers, Special markers, Enzymes, Protein Analysis and Profiles.

   • Vitamins like Iron and Vit. B12 assays.

5. Hematology: Fully automated Gen-S Coulter machines and coagulation machines render fast and wide range of tests.  Consultant Hematologist render specialized diagnostic services and special tests like Bone Marrow test. 

   Other tests available: 

   • Tests for hereditary anaemia, tests of hereditary and acquired risk of thrombosis are available and tests for bleeding disorders.

6. Histopathology:

   The section is run by Consultant Histopathology and two technologists. 

   Services offered: 

   • Cytology for Obs & Gynae samples and samples from body fluids or lesions in other sites of the body. 

   • Fine needle aspirate test.

   • Histology for surgical biopsy.

   • Frozen section for operation that requires this “stat” fast service.

7. Microscopy: Tests Provided:

   • Analysis for chemistry; parasites, crystals and proteins.

   • Stool analysis general and specific for blood, rotavirus and parasites .

   • Renal stones chemical analysis.

Equipment & Technology

Coulter Gen-S, AxSym, Vitros, Chemistry Analyzer, BacT Alert, Cobe Spectra for platelets collection at Blood Bank.  BCT for coagulation and Cryostat for frozen section.

Message from the department head

The department is committed and equipped to provide high standard, timely, and quality assured diagnostic laboratory and blood bank services. 

The range of tests we do in the laboratory is very wide, with complementary send-out service for some tests which currently not performed in our laboratory.  Bioscientia International laboratory in Germany is our reference laboratory.  Send-out days are Mondays and Wednesdays, of each week all the year round i.e. this is continuous smooth and stable reference service available for in & out patients when requested by Doctor; Also patients from outside hospital can benefit from this service as walk-in patients. 

Other Information