RODAKS HEMATOLOGY CLINICAL PRINCIPLES
AND APPLICATIONS EXAM PREPARATION PACK
2026 KEY CONCEPTS AND REVISION NOTES
◉ Darkfield microscopes create the dark field by: a. Using two filters
that cancel each other out, one above and the other below the
condenser b. Angling the light at the specimen so that it misses the
objective unless something in the specimen bends it backward c.
Closing the condenser diaphragm entirely, limiting light to just a tiny
ray in the center of the otherwise dark field d. Using a light source
above the specimen and collecting light reflected from the specimen,
rather than transmitted through the specimen, so that when there is
no specimen in place, the field is dark. Answer: b. Angling the light at
the specimen so that it misses the objective unless something in the
specimen bends it backward
◉ What procedure is NOT employed to validate a new assay? a.
Comparison of assay results to a reference method b. Test for assay
precision c. Test for assay linearity d. Moving average algorithm.
Answer: d. Moving average algorithm
◉ You validate a new assay using linear regression to compare assay
calibrator results with the distributor's published cali- brator
results. The slope is 0.99 and the y intercept is 110%. What type of
error is present? a. No error b. Random error c. Constant systematic
,error d. Proportional systematic error. Answer: c. Constant
systematic error
◉ Which is a statistical test that compares means? a. Bland-Altman
b. Student t-test c. ANOVA d. Pearson. Answer: b. Student t-test
◉ The acceptable hemoglobin control value range is 13 6 0.4 g/dL.
The control is assayed five times and produces the following five
results: 12.0 g/dL 12.3 g/dL 12.0 g/dL 12.2 g/dL 12.1 g/dL These
results are: a. Accurate but not precise b. Precise but not accurate c.
Both accurate and precise d. Neither accurate nor precise. Answer: b.
Precise but not accurate
◉ A WBC count control has a mean value of 6000/mL and an SD of
300/mL. What is the 95.5% confidence interval? a. 3000 to
9000/mL b. 5400 to 6600/mL c. 5500 to 6500/mL d. 5700 to
6300/mL. Answer: b. 5400 to 6600/mL
◉ The ability of an assay to distinguish the targeted analyte from
interfering substances within the specimen matrix is called: a.
Analytical specificity b. Analytical sensitivity c. Clinical specificity d.
Clinical sensitivity. Answer: a. Analytical specificity
◉ The laboratory purchases reagents from a manufacturer and
develops an assay using a protocol published in a vol- ume of the
Methods in Molecular Biology series. How would the FDA classify
,this assay? a. Cleared b. Research use only c. Analyte-specific reagent
d. Laboratory-developed test. Answer: d. Laboratory-developed test
◉ A laboratory scientist measures prothrombin time for plasma
aliquots from 15 healthy men and 15 healthy women. She computes
the mean and 95.5% confidence interval and notes that they
duplicate the manufacturer's statistics within 5%. This procedure is
known as: a. Setting the RI b. Confirming linearity c. Determining the
therapeutic range d. Establishing the RI by transference. Answer: d.
Establishing the RI by transference
◉ You purchase a preserved whole blood specimen from a
distributor who provides the mean values for several com- plete
blood count analytes. What is this specimen called? a. Normal
specimen b. Calibrator c. Control d. Blank. Answer: c. Control
◉ What agency provides external quality assurance (proficiency)
surveys and laboratory accreditation? a. Clinical Laboratory
Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) b. Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) c. College of American Pathologists
(CAP) d. The Joint Commission. Answer: c. College of American
Pathologists (CAP)
◉ What agency provides continuing medical laboratory education?
a. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) b.
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) c. Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) d. College of American
, Pathologists (CAP). Answer: b. American Society for Clinical
Laboratory Science (ASCLS)
◉ Regular review of blood specimen collection quality is an example
of: a. Postanalytical quality assurance b. Preanalytical quality
assurance c. Analytical quality control d. External quality assurance.
Answer: b. Preanalytical quality assurance
◉ Review of laboratory report integrity is an example of: a.
Postanalytical quality assurance b. Preanalytical quality assurance c.
Analytical quality control d. External quality assurance. Answer: a.
Postanalytical quality assurance
◉ When performing a receiver operating curve analysis, what
parameter assesses the overall efficacy of an assay? a. Area under
the curve b. Performance limit (threshold) c. Positive predictive
value d. Negative predictive value. Answer: a. Area under the curve
◉ You require your laboratory staff to annually perform manual
lupus anticoagulant profiles on a set of plasmas with known values.
This exercise is known as: a. Assay validation b. Proficiency testing c.
External quality assessment d. Pre-pre analytical variable assay.
Answer: b. Proficiency testing
AND APPLICATIONS EXAM PREPARATION PACK
2026 KEY CONCEPTS AND REVISION NOTES
◉ Darkfield microscopes create the dark field by: a. Using two filters
that cancel each other out, one above and the other below the
condenser b. Angling the light at the specimen so that it misses the
objective unless something in the specimen bends it backward c.
Closing the condenser diaphragm entirely, limiting light to just a tiny
ray in the center of the otherwise dark field d. Using a light source
above the specimen and collecting light reflected from the specimen,
rather than transmitted through the specimen, so that when there is
no specimen in place, the field is dark. Answer: b. Angling the light at
the specimen so that it misses the objective unless something in the
specimen bends it backward
◉ What procedure is NOT employed to validate a new assay? a.
Comparison of assay results to a reference method b. Test for assay
precision c. Test for assay linearity d. Moving average algorithm.
Answer: d. Moving average algorithm
◉ You validate a new assay using linear regression to compare assay
calibrator results with the distributor's published cali- brator
results. The slope is 0.99 and the y intercept is 110%. What type of
error is present? a. No error b. Random error c. Constant systematic
,error d. Proportional systematic error. Answer: c. Constant
systematic error
◉ Which is a statistical test that compares means? a. Bland-Altman
b. Student t-test c. ANOVA d. Pearson. Answer: b. Student t-test
◉ The acceptable hemoglobin control value range is 13 6 0.4 g/dL.
The control is assayed five times and produces the following five
results: 12.0 g/dL 12.3 g/dL 12.0 g/dL 12.2 g/dL 12.1 g/dL These
results are: a. Accurate but not precise b. Precise but not accurate c.
Both accurate and precise d. Neither accurate nor precise. Answer: b.
Precise but not accurate
◉ A WBC count control has a mean value of 6000/mL and an SD of
300/mL. What is the 95.5% confidence interval? a. 3000 to
9000/mL b. 5400 to 6600/mL c. 5500 to 6500/mL d. 5700 to
6300/mL. Answer: b. 5400 to 6600/mL
◉ The ability of an assay to distinguish the targeted analyte from
interfering substances within the specimen matrix is called: a.
Analytical specificity b. Analytical sensitivity c. Clinical specificity d.
Clinical sensitivity. Answer: a. Analytical specificity
◉ The laboratory purchases reagents from a manufacturer and
develops an assay using a protocol published in a vol- ume of the
Methods in Molecular Biology series. How would the FDA classify
,this assay? a. Cleared b. Research use only c. Analyte-specific reagent
d. Laboratory-developed test. Answer: d. Laboratory-developed test
◉ A laboratory scientist measures prothrombin time for plasma
aliquots from 15 healthy men and 15 healthy women. She computes
the mean and 95.5% confidence interval and notes that they
duplicate the manufacturer's statistics within 5%. This procedure is
known as: a. Setting the RI b. Confirming linearity c. Determining the
therapeutic range d. Establishing the RI by transference. Answer: d.
Establishing the RI by transference
◉ You purchase a preserved whole blood specimen from a
distributor who provides the mean values for several com- plete
blood count analytes. What is this specimen called? a. Normal
specimen b. Calibrator c. Control d. Blank. Answer: c. Control
◉ What agency provides external quality assurance (proficiency)
surveys and laboratory accreditation? a. Clinical Laboratory
Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) b. Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) c. College of American Pathologists
(CAP) d. The Joint Commission. Answer: c. College of American
Pathologists (CAP)
◉ What agency provides continuing medical laboratory education?
a. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) b.
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) c. Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) d. College of American
, Pathologists (CAP). Answer: b. American Society for Clinical
Laboratory Science (ASCLS)
◉ Regular review of blood specimen collection quality is an example
of: a. Postanalytical quality assurance b. Preanalytical quality
assurance c. Analytical quality control d. External quality assurance.
Answer: b. Preanalytical quality assurance
◉ Review of laboratory report integrity is an example of: a.
Postanalytical quality assurance b. Preanalytical quality assurance c.
Analytical quality control d. External quality assurance. Answer: a.
Postanalytical quality assurance
◉ When performing a receiver operating curve analysis, what
parameter assesses the overall efficacy of an assay? a. Area under
the curve b. Performance limit (threshold) c. Positive predictive
value d. Negative predictive value. Answer: a. Area under the curve
◉ You require your laboratory staff to annually perform manual
lupus anticoagulant profiles on a set of plasmas with known values.
This exercise is known as: a. Assay validation b. Proficiency testing c.
External quality assessment d. Pre-pre analytical variable assay.
Answer: b. Proficiency testing
