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Aim
of NordiQC
The aim of
Nordic immunohistochemical Quality Control (NordiQC) is to promote the quality
of immunohistochemistry and expand its clinical use by arranging schemes for
immunohistochemical staining and providing examples of good protocols
and other information including descriptions of epitopes and technical
solutions.
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Core
Group
Tomas Seidal, Halmstad, Sweden
(Chairman).
(e-mail:
tomas.seidal@lthalland.se)
Bjørn Risberg, Oslo, Norway.
(e-mail: brisberg@labmed.uio.no)
Heikki Helin, Helsinki, Finland.
(e-mail: heikki.helin@hus.fi)
Mogens Vyberg, Aalborg, Denmark
(e-mail: mv@rn.dk)
Scheme manager
Mogens Vyberg, Aalborg,
Denmark
(e-mail: mv@rn.dk)
Scheme organizer
Søren Nielsen,
Aalborg, Denmark
(e-mail: sn@rn.dk)
Assessors
(apart from core group and
staff)
Antero Laasonen,
Seinäjoki, FI
Gunilla Chebill,
Hälsingborg, SV
Lena Luts,
Hälsingborg, SV
Ole Nielsen,
Odense, DK
Torill
Sauer, Oslo, NO
Histotechnologists
Lise Emanuelsen
(e-mail: le@rn.dk)
Anna Steensgaard
(e-mail:
as@rn.dk)
Helle Lunden Nielsen
(e-mail: hln@rn.dk)
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Policy
NordiQC is a professional and scientific organization independent
of economical or political interests. The fact that NordiQC could not be
established without its sponsors has no influence on our methods, results or
conclusions.
The legal platform is described
in the
Statutes of NordiQC
All Nordic pathology
laboratories are invited to
participate in schemes. The laboratories enrol by following the
instructions at this website (see Participation).
A limited number of laboratories outside the
Nordic countries are accepted as participants.
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Methods
The NordiQC
work is primarily based on routine immunostaining of slides from standard processed
human histological specimens with varying expression of antigens. The
stains presented at the web-site originates from Nordic
laboratories participating in schemes (see Participation) arranged by NordiQC.
Important immunohistochemical
markers are described with illustrations of optimal staining results. The
origin of these stains and the associated protocols are given,
encouraging technicians and pathologists to communicate directly when needed.
If a participating laboratory wish to remain anonymous, NordiQC should be
informed by e-mail.
Further details are described
in Assessment method.
Payment and banking details,
see
Subscription terms
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Background
The diagnostic
potential of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in pathology is universally accepted,
but its reliability is compromised by lack of standardisation and poor
performance. The principal advantage of external quality assessment (EQA) is the
ability to detect differences of quality between laboratories and provide
guidance on how to achieve acceptable standards. In the Nordic countries, some
pathology laboratories have participated in UK-NEQAS schemes, and some in
regional schemes. Still, there is a huge need for
improvements and for communication in the field of immunohistochemistry
particularly due to considerable variations in standards and routines among
laboratories and the fact that several laboratories have not had the time or
opportunities to develop their immunohistochemical panels and procedures. The
increasing number of useful antibodies and protocols have also led to confusion
or even resignation among some of our colleagues.
In 1999 nine
pathologists from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with initial help from Dako constructed a Nordic pilot scheme for EQA.
A number of test runs were performed involving a number of
laboratories increasing from four to 55. Based on this experience,
NordiQC was established as a permanent organisation from January 2003
with Institute of Pathology, Aalborg University Hospital as its domicile.
A core group was
performed with one representative from each of the four Nordic countries -
Denmark: Mogens Vyberg, Aalborg; Norway: Emina Torlakovic, Oslo; Sweden: Tomas
Seidal, Karlstad (later Halmstad) and Finland: Heikki Helin, Tampere (later
Helsinki). Because of a new position in Canada, Emina Torlakovic left the core
group by the end of 2003 and was replaced by Bjørn Risberg, Oslo.
In the first scheme
(2003), about 70
laboratories participated. In 2004, 80
laboratories have attended, and in 2005 more
than 100.
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