Clinical Biochemistry and Pathology

Clinical biochemistry is an analytical and interpretative science. The analytical part involves the determination of the level of chemical components in body fluids and tissues. Clinical chemistry is the area of chemistry that is generally concerned with analysis of bodily fluids for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It is an applied form of biochemistry. The discipline originated in the late 19th century with the use of simple chemical reaction tests for various components of blood and urine. In the many decades since, other techniques have been applied as science and technology have advanced, including the use and measurement of enzyme activities, spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, and immunoassay. There are now many blood tests and clinical urine tests with extensive diagnostic capabilities. Clinical pathology covers a wide range of laboratory functions and is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Clinical pathologists are healthcare providers with special training who often direct all of the special divisions of the lab. This may include the blood bank, clinical chemistry and biology, toxicology, hematology, immunology and serology, and microbiology. Clinical pathology also involves maintenance of information systems, research, and quality control. This book is designed to cover the major techniques and analytical instruments used in clinical biochemistry and clinical pathology.