The American Hospital Dubai has acquired the FACSCalibur Flow Cytometry system (analyser and software) for fast and definitive diagnosis of cancers and tumours of the blood cells/leukaemia.

The system uses lasers to analyse patient cell samples, with the results then interpreted through the skills of a highly trained certified cytometrist. Initial results are available within two hours rather than days.

Flow cytometry is a laser-based, biophysical technology used in cell counting, cell sorting, biomarker detection and protein engineering, by suspending cells in a stream of fluid and passing them by an electronic detection apparatus. It analyses the physical and chemical characteristics of up to thousands of particles per second. Flow cytometry is widely used in the diagnosis of a range of health disorders, especially blood cancers, as well as in basic research, clinical practice and clinical trials.

The new system, based in the Hospital’s medical laboratory, can analyse any patient sample from blood to bone marrow to body fluids, across 30 different markers to generate a fast (50,000 cells in a few seconds) and clear picture for the cytometrist to interpret. This helps to guide the diagnosis and treatment process,said a statement.

The FACSCalibur system is the latest addition to the Cancer Care Centre at the American Hospital Dubai, which offers comprehensive cancer care services from diagnostics, to treatment options including radiology and chemotherapy, and rehabilitation. The team offers personalized support for every patient and also operates a ‘Tumour Board’ meeting every week to assess the progress of patients, bringing together the skills and experience of specialists from across the hospital.     

Aaron Han, MD, PhD, chief, department of pathology and lab medicine at the American Hospital Dubai, said: “This new system speeds up the analysis of specimen cells very significantly with a preliminary reading within two hours and, therefore, the diagnosis of cancers and leukaemia – and even the specific type of leukaemia; this means patients enter treatment programs earlier, which can help improve the treatment outcome. This is a significant investment but there is a clear need and demand for this service within the community as our Cancer Care Centre continues to grow.” – TradeArabia News Service