Haematopathology Laboratory
The General Haematology Laboratory, in addition to its role in leukemia diagnosis, provides a 24 hour, seven days a week essential service for the performance of CBCs, blood film examination, PT, PTT and fibrinogen. These tests are necessary in the management of critically ill patients, as well as in the routine assessment of most other patients.
The Special Haematology Laboratory provides a comprehensive service for the diagnosis and monitoring of children with haematological disorders such as thalassemia and haemoglobinopathies (Sickle cell, Haemoglobin C), red cell enzyme defects (G6PD, PK deficiency), and nutritional anemia. The Coagulation Laboratory provides an extensive service for the diagnosis and management of patients with haemophilia, vonWillebrands, and other hereditary hemorrhagic and thrombotic disorders, as well as those with acquired coagulopathies, eg. ill neonate, cardiovascular patients intra-operatively, organ and bone marrow transplant recipients.
The Flow Cytometry Laboratory, also makes use of monoclonal antibodies to provide testing for the diagnosis and monitoring of children with immunological disorders. This analysis is also used to determine the concentration of CD34 positive stem cells in donated autologous or allogenic peripheral blood or bone marrow prior to being given to transplant recipients.
Several laboratories in the Division of Haematopathology participate in the diagnosis of acute leukemia, which is the most common malignancy in childhood. Morphological examination of peripheral smears and bone marrow aspirates is performed in the General Haematology Laboratory. Experienced technologists can distinguish tumor cells from normal blood cells. To confirm the diagnosis and to determine the type of leukemia, other studies are usually required. These include cytochemical, flowcytometric and molecular analyses. Cytochemistry can help differentiate myeloid from lymphoid leukemias.
However, in the majority of cases, the Flowcytometry Laboratory plays the main role in the classification of leukemia. Finally, the Molecular Haematopathology Laboratory detects the presence of the chromosomal translocations that have implications on the clinical course of childhood leukemia. Flowcytometry and molecular studies are also important in the follow up of treated patients and in determining the presence of minimal residual disease.
Research in the Division of Haematopathology is focused on leukemia.
The research laboratory of Dr. Mohamed Abdelhaleem is interested in the molecular basis of leukemia and the pathways of tumor cell death.
See the Laboratory services section for more information.
If you have a question, a comment or would like to contact someone in the Division of Haematopathology, please use the following information:
Ross Cockfield,
Division Support
The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue
Room 3652, Atrium
Toronto, ON M5G 1X8
Canada
Tel: 416-813-5691
Fax: 416-813-6257
email: ross.cockfield@sickkids.ca