Introduction to Medical Technology – Lecture Review

These question-and-answer flashcards cover major concepts from the lecture, including the role of medical technologists, specimen types, blood components, clinical laboratory sections, parasitology, history, and professional characteristics.

What is the primary role of a medical technologist in the modern laboratory?

To perform laboratory procedures (clinical chemistry, microbiology, hematology, serology, urinalysis, etc.) that help physicians identify diseases and evaluate treatments.

Which body fluids are commonly analyzed by medical technologists for diagnostic purposes?

Blood, urine, sputum, stool/feces, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal, pericardial, synovial, and pleural fluids.

Blood is classified as what type of tissue?

A connective tissue consisting of plasma and formed elements.

Name the three major formed elements of blood.

Erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells), and platelets.

What is the main function of red blood cells?

Transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Which white blood cell type is most abundant in normal blood?

Neutrophils (60–70% of circulating WBCs).

Which plasma protein is most abundant?

Albumin (≈58% of plasma proteins).

Approximately what percentage of whole blood is plasma?

About 55% by volume.

What bacterial species is the most common cause of urinary tract infection (UTI)?

Escherichia coli.

How many colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) define significant bacteriuria in a mid-stream urine sample?

≥100,000 CFU/mL (1.0 × 10^5 CFU/mL).

Why are early-morning sputum specimens collected on three consecutive days preferred for TB culture?

They yield higher concentrations of lung secretions and increase the chance of detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

What selective agent in Lowenstein-Jensen agar inhibits contaminating bacteria when culturing Mycobacterium tuberculosis?

Malachite green.

Describe the colony appearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on Lowenstein-Jensen agar.

Rough, buff-colored colonies, typically visible in 14–21 days.

When should fecal specimens be collected for suspected diarrheal disease?

During the early stages of diarrhea, preferably in the morning.

In CSF collection, which tube is sent to the chemistry section?

Tube 1.

In CSF collection, which tube is reserved for microbiology?

Tube 2.

What are serous fluids, and how are they obtained?

Pericardial, pleural, and peritoneal fluids; they are aspirated by a physician.

What information can synovial fluid analysis provide?

Diagnostic clues about joint diseases.

State the legal definition of medical technology according to the Philippine Medical Technology Act of 1969 (RA 5527).

An auxiliary branch of laboratory medicine dealing with examination by chemical, microscopic, bacteriologic, and other procedures to aid diagnosis, treatment, and health promotion.

List three personal characteristics desirable in a medical technologist.

Problem-solving ability, accuracy/precision, and ability to function well under pressure (others: good communication, flexibility, teamwork, scientific interest).

Who invented the simple microscope and first described RBCs and bacteria?

Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723).

Who is considered the ‘Founder of Pathology’?

Marcello Malpighi (1628–1694).

Which 19th-century development greatly advanced bacterial staining?

The production of aniline dyes.

Who performed the first quantitative urine sugar test in 1848?

Hermann von Fehling.

Which parasite causes ascariasis, and where is it normally located in humans?

Ascaris lumbricoides; resides in the small intestine.

What is the infective stage of Ascaris lumbricoides?

The embryonated egg ingested by mouth.

How is Ascaris infection usually diagnosed in the laboratory?

By detecting characteristic eggs in stool specimens.

Name the definitive and intermediate hosts of Taenia saginata.

Definitive host: humans; intermediate host: cattle.

What laboratory finding confirms Taenia saginata infection?

Presence of tapeworm segments or eggs in stool (or Scotch-tape swab).

Which tapeworm species is transmitted through under-cooked pork?

Taenia solium.

Identify the two human hookworm species.

Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus.

What is the most common clinical manifestation of hookworm infection?

Iron-deficiency anemia (with possible cardiac complications).

In the hookworm life cycle, which larval stage is infective to humans?

The filariform larva that penetrates the skin.

Which section of the clinical laboratory performs Complete Blood Counts (CBCs)?

Hematology section.

Name three red cell indices reported in a CBC.

Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC).

Which tests are typically included in a basic lipid profile?

Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides (TAG).

Which liver enzymes are measured in a standard liver function test panel?

Alanine aminotransferase (SGPT/ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT/AST).

What does the microbiology section perform to guide antibiotic therapy?

Culture and sensitivity testing.

Which common microscopic stain is used for detecting acid-fast bacteria?

Ziehl-Neelsen (acid-fast) stain for AFB.

Name two routine examinations done in the clinical microscopy section.

Urinalysis (UA) and fecalysis (FA).

Which test determines compatibility between donor and recipient blood?

Crossmatching (performed in the blood banking section).

What rapid screening test is used for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen?

HbsAg testing (immunology/serology section).

Which section handles Pap smear evaluation?

Histopathology section.

Who is typically the head of a clinical laboratory?

The Laboratory Director, usually a pathologist.

What is the primary duty of a phlebotomist?

Collecting blood specimens from patients for laboratory analysis.

What normal range of red blood cell count (per mm³) is presented in the lecture?

Approximately 4.2–6.2 million RBCs per cubic millimeter.

Which WBC type releases histamine and heparin?

Basophils.

Which WBC type produces antibodies and regulates the immune response?

Lymphocytes.

What early observation hinted at diabetes in ancient Hindu medicine?

Ants were attracted to the sweet-tasting urine of certain individuals.

Which Italian woman in the 14th century is considered an early medical technologist for performing diagnostic tasks?

Alexandra Giliani at the University of Bologna.