RESUMEN
An evaluation of the new "ID-Gel System" (Diamed) for the detection of red cell antibody-antigen reactions was undertaken in the King Khalid University Hospital Blood Bank. Antibody screening was performed in 700 patient samples using both the conventional test tube (bovine albumin and LISS) techniques and the new ID-gel technique. The results obtained were as follows: a) 70 antibodies of various types were detected by the bovine albumin technique. b) 98 antibodies were spotted by LISS. c) The ID-gel system detected 122 antibodies (17.43%) which included all those detected by the other two techniques. It was concluded that the ID-gel system is a far more sensitive technique than the conventional Blood Bank immuno-haematological tests. In addition, the ID-system has the further advantage of standardization of the test, shorter incubation time, no washing procedure and reduces the technologist time, effort and perhaps number.