Textbook of Clinical Chemistry & Molecular Diagnostics

Tietz Textbook of CLINICAL CHEMISTRY and MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS The intertwined disciplines of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics continue to expand in depth and breadth, a process that has blurred traditional boundaries between them and other disciplines of laboratory medicine. As a result of this dynamic and relentless explosion of technical and medical advances, clinical laboratories have entered an era of rapid test growth and menu expansion. The knowledge base that defines the field has expanded exponentially, thus placing additional burdens on laboratory professionals to maintain their technical expertise and consultative skills. To provide an authoritative textbook that contains a current and comprehensive overview of this knowledge base is a challenging and daunting task that threatened to overwhelm our ability to cover all relevant topics. Consequently, to assist us in the endeavor of producing this 5th edition of the Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, we organized and recruited a board of associate editors comprising senior and experienced laboratorians. These subject matter experts were asked to edit chapters that contained information most familiar to them. Authorities composing this committee were Drs. Ann Gronowski, W. Greg Miller, Michael Oellerich, Francois Rousseau, Mitchell Scott, and Karl Voelkerding. The three of us thank these associate editors for their hard work and dedication. We are confident that readers of the new edition will discover and benefit from their expertise and superb editing skills and the resultant strengthening of chapters in this new edition. In addition to these associate editors, who edited multiple chapters, we asked colleagues to review single chapters, and we wish to thank Drs. Dave Armbruster, Charles Eby, Doris M. Haverstick, and Kristi J. Smock for their help as reviewers.