Q&A column

December 2014—What are the legal ramifications for medical technologists or medical laboratory technicians if they release results on suboptimal specimens on the insistence of physicians? What are the consensus recommendations for the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, and eosinophilic colitis? What is the clinical significance of increased lymphocytes in esophageal biopsy? Has there been a significant increase in diagnosed eosinophilic disorders over the past 10 or so years?

December 2013—Our hematology standardization committee has asked us for input on performing cell counts on tubes No. 1 and No. 4 for cerebrospinal fluid. Each site in our system has a different protocol set up with its emergency department with regard to when a count is performed on tube No. 1 after counting tube No. 4. Some sites use RBC greater than five to automatically count tube No. 1 with or without an order to not delay patient care, whereas other sites use greater than 50 or greater than 200. Is there an established guideline recommendation for the number of RBCs seen on CSF tube No. 4 before doing an additional count on tube No. 1?