Recently in DNA non match Category

The know error® system for breast biopsies will be participating at the Society of Breast Imaging's (SBI) next course -- Practical Breast MRI: Case Based Review." The course takes place January 28 - 29, 2012 at the Hilton Bonnet Creek Hotel in Orlando, FL. Look for our tabletop display in the registration area.

Know Error develops and markets the know error® system for breast biopsies which utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. Available for a diverse range of tissue types, including breast, the know error® system brings new levels of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process.

Since the company's launch in 2009, hundreds of physicians in a variety of specialties have incorporated the know error® system as a standard for their patient care. To learn more about the know error® system for breast biopsies, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

According to an article in the New York Post, a New York woman who was undergoing surgery for injuries caused in a car accident was misdiagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer based on a lab's mishandling of her biopsy tissue. During routine post surgical tests, the woman's biopsy was contaminated with tissue from the sample of a patient who did have cancer. Since the diagnosis was Stage 4 cancer, her doctors recommended radiation treatment as soon as possible. However, after doctors were unable to pinpoint her type of cancer, they asked for a second opinion from a different lab. The new test revealed the misdiagnosis but not before she had already undergone 6 radiation treatments.

This is different than the chain of events leading to a misdiagnosis that have occurred in most cases covered in this blog. Typically, a lab mix up occurs which results in a false diagnosis, ultimately leading to unnecessary surgery and/or treatment for cancer. It is not until after the surgery that the routine post surgical tests of the biopsied tissue reveal there was no cancer in the first place. In this case, the testing of the post surgical biopsy tissue (from an unrelated surgery) was where the mistake and resulting misdiagnosis occurred.

Regardless of where the error occurred in the complex biopsy evaluation process, it is possible to avoid adverse outcomes such as these. Know Error develops and markets the know error® system which utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. In this case, DNA testing conducted prior to treatment would have revealed two tissue types and that the one with cancer did not match this patient's DNA.

Available for a diverse range of tissue types, the know error® system brings new levels of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process. Since the company's launch in 2009, hundreds of physicians in a variety of specialties have incorporated the know error® system as a standard for their patient care.

To learn more about the know error® system, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

The know error® system is exhibiting at RSNA 2011 -- the 97th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. The meeting is being held November 27th - December 2nd at McCormick Place in Chicago. Come see us at Booth 1006 in Hall D (Lakeside Center).

In addition to participating in the meeting, Know Error is a proud supporter of the RSNA Exhibitor Circle Program which supports and provides funding for the RSNA's Research and Education Foundation. The Foundation's mission is "to improve patient care by supporting research and education in radiology and related scientific disciplines through funding grants and awards to individuals and institutions that will advance radiologic research, education and practice."

Know Error develops and markets the know error® system which utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. Available for a diverse range of tissue types, the know error® system brings new levels of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process.

Since the company's launch in 2009, hundreds of physicians in a variety of specialties, including radiology, have incorporated the know error® system as a standard for their patient care. To learn more about the know error® system, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

Know Error is hosting a User's Group Luncheon Meeting prior to the Large Urology Group Practice Association's 2011 Annual Meeting. The luncheon is being held on November 3rd, from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. Invitations have been extended to urologists attending LUGPA 2011.

A keynote presentation will be provided on the significance of DNA testing in the biopsy evaluation process, as well as an update and discussion on the know error® system's performance within large urology group practice settings.

"We Are Ready for a DNA Timeout"
John Pfeifer, MD, PhD, Vice Chairman for Clinical Affairs, Pathology and Immunology,
Washington University School of Medicine

"Know Error Best Practices"
Ann Anderson, MD, Director of Pathology, Integrated Medical Professionals

Know Error develops and markets the know error® system which utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. Since the company's launch in 2009, hundreds of physicians in a variety of specialties, including urology, have incorporated the know error® system as a standard for their patient care.

To learn more about the know error® system for prostate biopsies, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

The know error® system for prostate biopsies is set to exhibit at the North Central Section of the AUA's annual meeting which runs from October 18-22, 2011. This meeting will take place at The Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, CA. To find out more about this meeting, click here.

Know Error develops and markets the know error® system which utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. Available for a diverse range of tissue types, including prostate, the know error® system brings new levels of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process.

Since the company's launch in 2009, hundreds of physicians in a variety of specialties, including urology, have incorporated the know error® system as a standard for their patient care. To learn more about the know error® system for prostate biopsies, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

On October 1, 2011, the Victoria Herald Sun reported on a biopsy labeling mix-up that resulted in the unnecessary removal of an Australian woman's spleen as well as part of her pancreas. Fifty-six year old, Christine Korolew, was given the diagnosis of cancer in January 2010 after a pancreatic lesion was biopsied and revealed cancer.

As with most cases covered in this blog, the mix-up was revealed when routine post surgical tests showed no evidence of cancer. Korolew is pursuing legal action and her claim alleges that "a slide containing a biopsy specimen from another patient had been mislabeled with [her] name." The unnecessary removal of part of her pancreas additionally caused her to develop diabetes which requires two injections of insulin every day. The suit also claims that her ability to continue working has been affected and her former employer confirmed that "she is unlikely to be gainfully employed again."

The article makes no mention of the patient with whom Ms. Korolew's slides were switched.

Launched in 2009, the know error® system was developed to prevent this type of mix-up from occurring. The system utilizes bar coding, forensic principles and DNA matching to confirm that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. In this case, the mislabeling would have been detected prior to any treatment taking place. Ms. Korolew would not have undergone unnecessary surgery or developed diabetes and the other patient involved in the mix-up would not have experienced any delay in treatment.

Available for a diverse range of tissue types, the know error® system brings new levels of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process. To learn more about the know error® system, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

Starting tomorrow, the know error® system for prostate biopsies will be exhibiting at the Florida Urological Society's Annual Meeting. The meeting runs from September 1-4, 2011 and is being held at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Florida. Come visit us at Booth #353.

Launched in 2009, the know error® system for prostate biopsies brings a new standard of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process. Through our innovative use of forensic chain of custody principles and DNA testing, the know error® system confirms that the biopsy samples being evaluated belong to the patient being diagnosed. As a result, the system has identified DNA non-matches in more than 1% of the patient cases for whom testing has been performed.

To learn more about the know error® system for prostate biopsies, visit our website www.knowerror.com.

The know error® system for breast biopsies will be participating at the Society of Breast Imaging's (SBI) next course -- "Practical Breast MRI: Case Based Review." The course takes place September 17-18, 2011 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. Look for our tabletop display in the registration area.

The know error® system for breast biopsies brings a new standard of patient safety and diagnostic accuracy to the biopsy evaluation process. By establishing specimen provenance as part of the biopsy evaluation process, the know error® system arms physicians with critical information to recommend the appropriate path for patient treatment. Since its launch in the spring of 2010, the system has identified DNA non-matches in more than 1% of the patient cases for whom testing has been performed.

To learn more about the know error® system for breast biopsies, visit our website www.knowerror.com.