Recently, Priyanka Bajpai from BioSpectrum Asia spoke to Dr. David Zahniser, Chief Scientific Officer, Roche Diagnostics Haematology who has developed a pioneering technology which can conduct full blood counts from a single drop (~30 microlitres) of blood – something that has never been done before. This is an important revolution in the way blood tests are conducted especially when a significant number of diagnostics tests are based on testing of the blood.
Q. Can you briefly explain this new blood testing technology and how is it different from the more conventional tests that path labs do?
The cobas m 511 represents a new era of haematology testing and is the most dramatic innovation the industry has seen in decades. What makes the cobas m 511 analyser truly unique is that it is the first, fully integrated digital analyser which combines three conventional haematology systems into one, compact platform.
It uses cutting-edge Bloodhound technology and automatically prints, stains, scans and counts blood cells, producing qualitative and quantitative results in just six minutes. When I started developing this technology back in 2004, the purpose was to create a system that could overcome the limitations of conventional haematology testing such as the need for multiple systems, the number of human touchpoints which increases the risk for contamination and error, the time required for the test which could range from 15 to 30 minutes and most of all the inconsistency in generating reproducible and standardised morphology results.
The cobas m 511 addresses all of these challenges. The system generates standardised, accurate and replicable results which can help to ensure greater consistency in clinical decisions and take uncertainty out of decision-making.
It uses a much smaller volume of blood just 30 microlitres, which is a third less than conventional methods. In the fields of paediatrics, this is ground breaking. Taking samples from premature babies or infants with illnesses is risky and can have severe health consequences. Bloodhound® eliminates the need for 'top up' blood transfusions which doctors need to perform to replace the amount of blood lost through current testing.
Conventionally, lab technicians need to prepare, stain and analyse the blood samples using various instruments. The cobas m 511 on the other hand prints a monolayer onto the slide, stains with an improved method for further analysis of the morphology and enables classification of cells displayed on a Viewing Station flagging any abnormal cells. This is why I called it Bloodhound, as it tracks down and presents the abnormal blood cells.
Even if nothing abnormal is flagged in the blood sample, the images are saved digitally for review. These digital slide images can be archived and emailed so that results can be shared and reviewed by experts remotely, from anywhere the world. This isn’t the case with conventional flow based methods, and is a significant advantage for medical professionals.
Q. What is the scope of the blood tests that can be done using this? More specifically, are there any specific tests or results that cannot be obtained using this new approach / invention?
The technology counts, analyses morphology and classifies every cell in the viewing area to provide a complete blood count (CBC) and 5-part differential and reticulocyte count.
Haematologists still have the option of looking at slides under their microscopes, but as the technology provides cell-by-cell images it may eliminate the need for microscopic review.
Q. In terms of the speed of obtaining results and the accuracy of them, how do they compare to blood tests done by path labs presently?
The technology generates results in just six minutes. This is much faster than conventional lab methods which can take around 15-30 minutes – an 80% reduction in turnaround time. Over the course of a day, week or year this can make a huge difference for laboratories and the technicians there as it means they can better focus their resources and expertise.
More importantly, the technology produces standardized and replicable results so that they can be easily and accurately interpreted. This takes any uncertainty...
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