Quality control in clinical flow cytometry

Abstract

Flow cytometry is a multifaced technology which requires attention to the details of sample preparation as well as instrumentation. QC procedures are essential for minimizing technical artifacts which may lead to erroneous results. In clinical laboratories it is particularly important to establish QC procedures that are readily performed with relatively few control reagents. The ultimate goal of these QC procedures is to permit the acquisition of precise and accurate results which will be of importance in clinical diagnoses and patient care. The current technology of commercially available flow cytometry instruments and fluorescent immunologic reagents has indicated that consistent results can be attained with a variety of instruments, reagents, and different flow cytometry operators [10, 20]. Ideally, the formulation of guidelines for quality assurance laboratory practices in flow cytometry will provide a means for all clinical laboratories to obtain accurate and precise results.