RedPath Integrated Pathology has announced the launch of a new, patent-pending, customized test to accurately measure carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in all pancreatic cyst fluids.
Unlike routinely used, commercially available CEA assays, AccuCEA provides accurate results, even in pancreatic cyst fluid specimens with limited volume and/or high viscosity. Furthermore, AccuCEA provides physicians with more options in the diagnostic work-up of patients by preserving precious fluid and making it available for additional tests.
When the amount of pancreatic cyst fluid is limited and CEA testing is prescribed, CEA can be analyzed in diluted fluid. However, dilution of cyst fluid can significantly impact the analytical accuracy of the resulting CEA measurements.
RedPath has solved this problem by creating AccuCEA, which provides CEA measurements in diluted cyst fluid that are true to their corresponding neat (undiluted) cyst fluid CEA measurements. Results of the study documenting the accuracy of AccuCEA were presented at the 2013 Digestive Disease Week meeting.
RedPath Integrated Pathology president and CEO Dr Dennis M Smith noted because improved imaging technologies now detect smaller and smaller pancreatic cysts from which physicians can aspirate fluid, the limited amount of fluid obtained may, in turn, limit diagnostic testing.
"The development and availability of AccuCEA resolves this dilemma by providing accurate CEA results on all diluted fluids and by allowing other tests to be ordered on the residual specimen," Dr Smith added.