Laboratory Medicine is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the laboratory analysis of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and other body fluids, as well as tissue, using the tools of chemistry, microbiology, hematology and molecular pathology. Clinical pathologists and board-certified doctoral scientists work in close collaboration with medical technologists and referring physicians to ensure the accuracy and integrity of diagnostic testing, ease of reporting, as well as stewardship of laboratory resources.
The TCH Clinical Chemistry Laboratory provides STAT and routine laboratory test analysis in an automated, 24/7 laboratory. Testing is performed on serum, plasma, whole blood, urine, CSF and other body fluids.
Routine Services
Highlights of our comprehensive menu of testing services include:
Routine chemistry, using highly automated random access analyzers relying on multiple methodologies, include basic and comprehensive metabolic panels, lipid panels, liver, renal, cardiac panels
Bilirubin quantification including total, direct measurement of unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin
Therapeutic drug monitoring including immunosuppressant levels and other drugs
Testing for Immunoglobulins with a lower limit of quantification for pediatric patients, as well as immunoglobulin subclasses, measurements of complement C3 andC4
Hemoglobin Fractionation and Quantitation of major variant hemoglobins (Hgb S, Hgb C, Hgb F, Hgb A, Hgb A2) and unique identification of rare variants by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as well as quantitation of plasma hemoglobin
Sweat Chloride – Quantification of sweat chloride by chloridometry, a reference method recommended by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
CSF Oligoclonal banding and identification of beta-2-transferrin in fluids by isoelectric focusing and electrophoresis with immunofixation
Blood Gas and Metabolite Analysis using the Radiometer ABL, 24/7
Alpha 1 Antitrypsin phenotyping for for Alpha 1 Antitrypsin deficiency by isoelectric focusing
Specialized tests such as busulfan pharmacokinetics, mycophenolic acids, anti-epileptic drugs are also offered
Clinical Metabolomics – Tests on the tandem LC-MS/MS, including antifungals, immunosuppressants, and important screening tests for congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Test for vitamin D for deficiency as well as status
Tests of sepsis, including procalcitonin, etc.
Allergen testing-Outdoor/indoor allergens, food, fish, etc.
Send out tests – Those tests not on our menu can be sent out to reference labs as needed
Consultative
In order to ensure proper ordering or interpretation of our testing, professional staff in Chemistry, as well as clinical chemistry fellows, are always available via an on-call schedule to provide consultation. This is an added value service, performed at no charge. Please contact the Laboratory at 832-824-5152 for further assistance. For Chemistry supervisor, please call 832-824-5130 or for faculty, please call 832-826-1717. Clinical chemists review and interpret all hemoglobins, alpha 1 antitrypsin phenotyping, sweat testing, oligoclonal banding and transferrin immunofixation tests.
Consultation for any laboratory testing and/or results, including toxicology are also available, please contact sxdevara@texaschildrens.org
Clinical Chemistry Laboratory
Phone: 832-824-5152
Manager
Phone: 832-824-5143
Contact
Sridevi Devaraj, PhD, DABCC, FRSC Medical Director of Clinical Chemistry and Point of Care Technology Texas Children's Hospital Phone: 832-826-1717 sxdevara@texaschildrens.org