Quality control for the in-clinic veterinary laboratory and pre-analytic considerations for specialized diagnostic testing

This review, aimed primarily at general practitioners, focuses on quality assurance/quality control principles for all three phases of clinical pathology testing: preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic. Specific emphasis is placed on the preanalytic phase of diagnostic modalities for identifying neoplastic cells, specifically flow cytometry, PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement, and immunocytochemistry. Recommendations for establishing an in-clinic quality assurance system are provided.