Annual Report on the External Quality Assessment Scheme for Diagnostic Genetics in Korea (2014)

ABSTRACT

Quality control for genetic tests has become more important as testing volume and clinical demands have increased dramatically. The diagnostic genetics subcommittee of Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted two trials in 2014 based on cytogenetics and molecular genetics surveys. A total of 44 laboratories participated in the chromosome surveys, 33 laboratories participated in the fl uorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) surveys, and 130 laboratories participated in the molecular genetics surveys as a part of these trials. All laboratories showed acceptable results in the chromosome and FISH surveys. The molecular genetics surveys included various tests: Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B and C virus detection and quantification, human papilloma virus genotyping, gene rearrangement tests for leukaemia and lymphomas, genetic tests for JAK2, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3, nucleophosmin, cancer-associated genes (KRAS, EGFR, KIT, and BRAF), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53), Wilson disease (ATP7B), achondroplasia (FGFR3), Huntington disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke like episodes, myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fibre, Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, nonsyndromic hearing loss and deafness (GJB2), multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (RET), Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (major mutation), apolipoprotein E genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping, ABO genotyping, and DNA sequencing analysis. Molecular genetic surveys showed excellent results for most of the participants. The external quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2014 proved to be helpful for continuous education and the evaluation of quality improvement.