What is an antibody screen (indirect antiglobulin test) used for?

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Multiple Choice

What is an antibody screen (indirect antiglobulin test) used for?

This test is about finding unexpected antibodies in the patient's plasma that could react with donor red blood cells and cause incompatibility. The indirect antiglobulin test uses patient serum and a panel of red cells with known antigens. If the patient has antibodies against any of those antigens, they bind to the cells. After adding antiglobulin reagent, if antibodies are bound, agglutination occurs and the test is positive. This helps identify antibodies that could lead to a hemolytic transfusion reaction, guiding the selection of compatible donor units or additional testing. It does not measure antibody titers, determine ABO type, or screen for infectious agents.

This test is about finding unexpected antibodies in the patient's plasma that could react with donor red blood cells and cause incompatibility. The indirect antiglobulin test uses patient serum and a panel of red cells with known antigens. If the patient has antibodies against any of those antigens, they bind to the cells. After adding antiglobulin reagent, if antibodies are bound, agglutination occurs and the test is positive. This helps identify antibodies that could lead to a hemolytic transfusion reaction, guiding the selection of compatible donor units or additional testing. It does not measure antibody titers, determine ABO type, or screen for infectious agents.

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