Quality Control Guidelines for Research Flow Cytometry

Abstract

Accurate and reproducible test results are integral to alliaboratories. Quality control methods identify and minimize sources of variation in instruments and reagents. In clinical laboratories, quality control methods require rigorous documentation, certification, and monitoring for reproducibility and accuracy. This entails validation of chain of custody information (sample source, collection procedures, transportation and storage of viable samples), documented sample preparation procedures, staining conditions, reagent performance, instrument reproducibility, validated measuring conditions, meaningful data analysis, and comparative reporting of data. The bottom line for clinical cytometrists is to provide valid comparisons of clinically relevant parameters within a sample, between samples, between laboratories, over time. For an in depth review of these issues see reference one¹ which provides a good bibliography on quality control for clinical applications.