Examining Our Laboratory Results Through Participation in Multinational Material Exchange Studies

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the quality of our tissue processing through participation a multicentre research programme as part of external quality control.

Study Design: A analytical retrospective study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pathology University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, July 2019.

Methodology: An analytical study reviewing the performance of lymphoma tissue contributed to a Sub-Saharan African Lymphoma consortium study commissioned in 2008/2009 for which results were published in 2012. Twelve formalin fixed paraffin embedded lymphoma tissue were tested with a panel of 40 immunohistochemistry antibodies. The tissues were cut into 480 cores placed on slides before the test.

Results: The tissues were from 5 women and 7 men. The mean age was 37years, median age 45 years and modal age was 60 years. Twenty six percent of the sectioned cores lifted at test and could not therefore produce results. The reason for the lift off was tissue brittleness. Seventy four percent (74%) had intact cores on slides and produced a staining reaction although fragile antibodies like Ki 67 and bcl6 produced non reliable results while hardy antibodies like CD20 were more reliable.

Conclusion: The quality of histopathology biopsy results in the Department of Pathology University of Calabar teaching hospital needs to be improved. The strategies to achieve this involves the institution of continuous quality control and quality assurance.