AACC AACC Instrumentation & Technology 2

Question 1

Which technology is the gold standard for measuring HbA1c in a clinical laboratory due to its high specificity and ability to separate hemoglobin variants?

Accepted Answer

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Answer

HPLC is considered the gold standard for HbA1c measurement because it separates and quantifies individual hemoglobin fractions with high accuracy, including variant detection.

Question 2

In clinical laboratory automation, what is a 'track system'?

Accepted Answer

A conveyor-based transport system that connects multiple instruments to automate specimen routing

Answer

A track system (total laboratory automation) uses conveyor belts and robotics to transport specimens between pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical workstations without manual handling.

Question 3

Point-of-care (POC) testing devices must meet which regulatory requirement before being used for patient testing in a US hospital?

Accepted Answer

FDA clearance or approval for clinical use

Answer

POC testing devices used for clinical patient testing must be FDA-cleared or approved to demonstrate safety and effectiveness for their intended use.

Question 4

What principle does nephelometry use to measure analyte concentration in immunology and protein assays?

Accepted Answer

Measurement of light scattered by antigen-antibody complexes at an angle to the incident beam

Answer

Nephelometry quantifies antigen-antibody immune complexes by measuring the intensity of light scattered at an angle (usually 70–90°) from the incident beam.

Question 5

Which pre-analytical variable is most commonly responsible for falsely elevated serum potassium results?

Accepted Answer

Hemolysis due to improper specimen collection or handling

Answer

Hemolysis releases intracellular potassium from red blood cells into the serum, causing a falsely elevated potassium result that does not reflect the patient's true status.

AACC - American Association for Clinical Chemistry Certification Practice Test

AACC - American Association for Clinical Chemistry Certification Practice Test

AACC AACC Instrumentation & Technology 2