Precision in Practice - Managing Indeterminate TB Testing with Quality Systems

Learn to manage indeterminate tuberculosis testing results through quality systems implementation in this 30-minute webinar presented by Dr. Mahesheema Ali, Medical Director of Core Laboratory at MetroHealth System and Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Explore the challenges laboratories face with QuantiFERON TB Gold testing, particularly the rise in indeterminate results that prompt provider inquiries and impact patient care decisions. Examine a comprehensive four-year retrospective analysis of 17,743 tuberculosis tests, revealing that 0.7% resulted in indeterminate outcomes, with contributing factors including immunocompromised status (59%), immigration history with BCG vaccination (20%), pre-analytical processing issues (18%), and TB-associated factors (2%). Discover how racial and ethnic demographics influence testing outcomes, with findings showing 41% African American and 59% non-African American patients among indeterminate cases. Understand the clinical significance of interferon-gamma release assays, especially for rheumatoid arthritis patients beginning biological agents as recommended by the American College of Rheumatology. Master quality improvement strategies to reduce indeterminate results through better pre-analytical processes, understanding immunosuppressive therapy impacts, and recognizing BCG vaccine interference. Gain practical insights into automated ELISA processing using the Agility system and learn best practices for laboratory quality management that improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes in tuberculosis screening programs.