CEN the European Committee for Standardisation finalised their effort and published standards for molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations – Specifications for pre-examination processes:
This Technical Specification recommends the handling, documentation and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for RNA analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g., in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). RNA profiles in tissues can change significantly before and after collection and can change differently in different donors’ / patients’ tissues. Therefore, special measures have to be taken to minimize the described profile changes and modifications within the tissue for subsequent RNA analysis. Tissues that have undergone chemical stabilisation pre-treatment before freezing are not covered in this document.
This Technical Specification recommends the handling, documentation and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for the analysis of extracted proteins during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g., in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). Protein profiles and protein-protein interactions in tissues can change drastically before and after collection (due to e.g., gene induction, gene down regulation, protein degradation). Protein species amounts can change differently in different donors’ / patients’ tissues. The expression of genes can be influenced by the given treatment or intervention (surgery, biopsy), or drugs administered for anaesthesia or even treatment of concomitant disease as well as by the different environment conditions after the tissue removal from the body. Therefore, it is essential to take special measures to minimize the described profile changes and modifications within the tissue for subsequent protein analysis. Tissues that have undergone chemical stabilization pre-treatment before freezing are not covered in this document. In addition this document is not applicable for protein analysis by immunohistochemistry.
This Technical Specification gives recommendations for the handling, documentation and processing of FFPE tissue specimens intended for RNA analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g., in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, developers and manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). The formalin fixation and the paraffin embedding process lead to modifications of the RNA molecules, which can impact the validity and reliability of the analytical test results. Therefore, it is essential to take special measures to minimize the described profile changes and modifications within the tissue for subsequent RNA analysis.
This Technical Specification gives recommendations for the handling, documentation and processing of FFPE tissue specimens intended for the analysis of extracted proteins during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g., in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, developers and manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). Protein profiles and protein-protein interactions in tissues can change drastically before and after collection (due to e.g., gene induction, gene down regulation, protein degradation). Protein species amounts can change differently in tissues from different donors / patients. The expression of genes can be influenced by the given treatment or intervention (surgery, biopsy), or drugs administered for anaesthesia or even treatment of concomitant disease as well as by the different environment conditions after the tissue removal from the body. Furthermore, the formalin fixation and paraffin embedding process leads to modifications of the protein molecules, which can impact the validity and reliability of the analytical test results. Therefore, it is essential to take special measures to minimize the described profile changes and modifications within the tissue for subsequent protein analysis. This document is not applicable for protein analysis by immunohistochemistry.
This Technical Specification gives recommendations for the handling, documentation and processing of FFPE tissue specimens intended for DNA analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g., in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, developers and manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). DNA integrity in tissues can change before and during formalin fixation, processing and storage. Chemical modifications introduced into DNA during tissue fixation might lead to fragmentation and sequence alterations [1], changes in the methylation status or even structural changes which can lead to e.g., spurious copy number changes in array-CGH profiles [2]. These modifications of the DNA molecules can impact the validity and reliability of the analytical test results. Therefore, it is essential to take special measures to minimize the described modifications for subsequent DNA analysis.
This Technical Specification recommends the handling, documentation and processing of venous whole blood specimens intended for cellular RNA analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification covers specimens collected by venous whole blood collection tubes. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g. in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). Blood cellular RNA profiles can change significantly after collection. Therefore, special measures need to be taken to secure good quality blood samples for cellular RNA analysis and storage. Different dedicated measures need to be taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating RNA and RNA in exosomes circulating in blood, which are not described in this Technical Specification. Different dedicated measures need to be taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies. These are not described in this Technical Specification. RNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this Technical Specification.
This Technical Specification recommends the handling, documentation and processing of venous whole blood specimens intended for genomic DNA analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification covers specimens collected by venous whole blood collection tubes. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g. in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). Blood genomic DNA can fragment or degrade after blood collection. Therefore, special measures need to be taken to secure good quality blood samples for genomic DNA analysis. This is particularly relevant for analytical test procedures requiring high molecular weight DNA. Different dedicated measures need to be taken for preserving blood cell free circulating DNA, which are not described in this Technical Specification. Circulating cell free DNA in blood is covered in CEN/TS 16835-3, Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations -Specifications for pre-examination processes for venous whole blood – Part 3: Isolated circulating cell free DNA from plasma. Different dedicated measures need to be taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for blood collected and stored by paper based technologies. These are not described in this Technical Specification. Pathogen DNA present in blood is not covered by this Technical Specification.
This Technical Specification recommends the handling, documentation and processing of venous whole blood specimens intended for circulating cell free DNA (ccfDNA) analysis during the preanalytical phase before a molecular assay is performed. This Technical Specification covers specimens collected by venous whole blood collection tubes. This Technical Specification is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations (e.g. in vitro diagnostic laboratories, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities). Blood ccfDNA profiles can change significantly after blood collection from the donor (e.g. release of genomic DNA from white blood cells, ccfDNA fragmentation and ccfDNA quantity change). Special measures need to be taken to secure good quality blood samples for ccfDNA analysis and storage. Different dedicated measures need to be taken for preserving blood genomic DNA. These are not described in this Technical Specification. Blood genomic DNA is covered in FprCEN/TS 16835-2, Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations – Specifications for pre-examination processes for venous whole blood – Part 2: Isolated genomic DNA NOTE CcfDNA obtained from blood by the procedures suggested in this document can contain DNA present in exosomes [3] [4]. Pathogen DNA present in blood is not covered by this Technical Specification.
This Technical Specification covers the preanalytical phase and recommends the handling, documentation and processing of urine, venous blood plasma and serum intended for metabolomics analysis. This Technical Specification is applicable to metabolomics examinations and is of importance to biomedical laboratories, customers of laboratories, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and companies performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities. The adoption of the described procedures for the preanalytical phase make it possible to compare and evaluate the results obtained from metabolic profiling analysis.
