Information on the EQA test Lab-focused QA: prenatal diagnostics / amniotic fluid

The EQA schemes Laboratory-oriented quality assurance (chromosome analyses on lymphocytes from peripheral blood, from amniotic fluid and from long-term chorionic villi culture) are a retrospective observation of the chromosome quality from the respective participating laboratories, which these laboratories use for chromosome diagnostics.

Once per year.

The EQA scheme management requests images of two karyograms and the corresponding metaphases from three different months of a year of the cases processed in the laboratory. These image documents are uploaded anonymously by the participants in the protected area of www.bvdh-ringversuche.de.

Through visual inspection, each karyogram and each metaphase will be evaluated with regard to the number of overlay points, brightness levels and the resolution of the chromosome banding quality.

The following parameters are assessed: Brightness levels of the chromosomes, the number of overlapping points in metaphase and the resolution of the chromosomes (banding quality). The different resolution levels of the chromosomes are defined in the current version of "An International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN)", Karger Verlag. The pass criteria for chromosome analysis from the individual tissues are defined in the current version of the "Guideline of the German Medical Association for Quality Assurance of Laboratory Medical Examinations (RiLiBÄK)".
Using the three parameters mentioned above, it is possible to assess the quality of chromosome diagnostics in the individual laboratories.

For this proficiency test, a certificate and a certificate of participation are awarded by the BVDH e. V. as proficiency test provider after successful participation or, in the case of unsuccessful participation, a certificate of participation. The validity of the certificate is limited to two years. 

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kunz
BVDH e. V.
Linienstr. 127
10115 Berlin