The mission of the laboratory department at DSFH is to provide the highest quality laboratory services to the patients, physicians, and the public at large. It is staffed by a highly multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, including histopathologists, microbiologists, hamatopathologists, geneticists and medical technologists and is equipped by state of the art medical equipment. The laboratory provides clinical and pathology services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DSFH laboratory receives patient specimens from other clinics and hospitals.
All performed tests are monitored by Collage of American pathologists (CAP)through comprehensive program of Proficiency testing.

Phlebotomy areas:
Three phlebotomy areas are located in building 1 ,2 and 7 for drawing blood samples and receiving patient specimens

Pathology Section
The pathology section provides a wide range of procedures including:

• Gross and microscopic examination of surgical specimens.
• Frozen section service (intra-operative diagnosis).
• Routine and immunocytochemistry comprehensive panel.
• Cytology: Gynecological and non- gynecological samples.

Hematology section
The range of hematological tests available is broad.

• Whole blood and body fluids are analyzed electronically and examined microscopically for abnormal cells and diseases of the blood.
• Bone marrow aspirate & biopsy for diagnosis of hematologic malignancies.
• Hemoglobin and protein electrophoresis as well as immune fixation.
• Coagulation procedures are performed to identify possible bleeding or clotting disorders including factor assay, Coagulation testing is also used to monitor anticoagulant therapy.

Flow cytometry section
Uses the most updated equipment to provide a wide variety of cytometry services for internal and external physicians.

• Diagnosis of hematological malignancies, through comprehensive leukemia lymphoma panel
• monitoring of CD4 /CD8 count, lymphocyte subset and immune profile.

Blood Bank and transfusion service section
DSFH Blood bank is accredited by American Association of Blood Bank (AABB; USA)
This section performs the necessary testing of blood donors and patients to ensure safe blood transfusion

• Donor blood collection
• Blood component preparation, blood component validation.
• Screening for transfusion transmitted diseases including NAT testing.
• Pre transfusion testing of recipient blood (blood grouping, compatibility tests, and screening for irregular antibodies),
• Therapeutic plasma and red cell exchange.

Toxicology and drug monitoring section

• Therapeutic drug monitoring; monitoring for antibiotics, antiepileptic’s, cardiac drugs, some analgesics, illicit drugs and immunosuppressive medications.

Microbiology section
(A comprehensive section that cultivates, isolates, and accurately identifies bacteria and fungi. It also performs antimicrobial susceptibility testing according to accepted standards to guide clinicians in prescribing the most appropriate antibiotic.)
The microbiology laboratory provides accurate and timely laboratory testing and diagnostic information. Services include:

• Routine and specialized Bacterial, fungal and mycobacterial cultures of blood and body fluid and other human tissues specimen
• Direct examinations as acid fast bacilli stain, Gram Staining, direct KOH & India Ink.
• Bacterial antigen detection.
• Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Gene Xpert studies including MRSA screening, HCV and HIV viral load, influenza virus A ,B, H1N1and RSV
• Detection of microorganism’s nucleic acid by molecular techniques (PCR).
• Gamma Interferon (Quantiferon test ) In response to TB antigen

Clinical chemistry Section:
The clinical chemistry section performs quantitative analysis on a variety of body fluids. Common chemistry procedures include blood testing for glucose, lipid profile, kidney & liver function, electrolytes, hormones, and tumor markers.

Immunology/serology section:

• Offers serologic testing evaluates antibodies and/or antigens that may be indicative of many types of infectious diseases. This is important in not only confirming a diagnosis, but also in treating and managing various conditions.
• provides a comprehensive range of tests for the diagnosis of immune deficiency, autoimmunity and atopy.

Clinical Microscopy section:
A well-equipped unit that conducts routine microscopic and special procedures on urine, stool, and other body fluids.

Clinical genetic Section, including Viafet:

• Noninvasive prenatal test for risk detection for trisomy 21, 18, &13 through maternal blood.
• High resolution HLA typing
• Complete Mutation screening in order to locate the mutated gene or genes causing a genetic disease in a family or individual: Whole Exome Sequencing by next generation sequencing, Targeted Mutation Screening by Sanger Sequencing, and Carrier screening.
• Cytogenetics & molecular cytogenetics: chromosomal analysis, acquired chromosomal abnormalities for peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymphoma and solid tumor as well as Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH)
• Molecular Karyotyping using microarray techniques for congenital disorders

 


An accurate genetic diagnosis can be crucial to ensuring that you or your loved one receives the correct remedial or preventative treatment.

The genetic laboratory at DSFH provides a wide array of services to meet your family’s needs in genetic diagnosis, screening for inheritable disease, and ensuring the health of future pregnancies through reproductive genetic testing during an In Vitro Fertilization cycle. Our laboratory is the only of its kind throughout KSA, providing the services you need using the most advanced techniques in genetic testing. The genetics department is operated by Viafet Genomics Laboratory, the first and only laboratory to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for Next Generation Sequencing technologies in the Middle East and Gulf.
 


Services Provided:
 

• Whole Exome Sequencing
 


• Carrier Screening
 


• Pre-Marital Screening
 


• Targeted Mutation Screening
 


• Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis and Screening
 


• Non-Invasive Prenatal Test
 


• Invasive Prenatal Testing
 


• HLA Typing
 


• Chromosomal Analysis
 


• Karyotype
 


• Breast and Ovarian Cancer Screening
 


• Personalized Medicine