What is the term for pretransfusion testing that includes blood type, Rh, and an antibody screen?

What is the term for pretransfusion testing that includes blood type, Rh, and an antibody screen?

• A. Crossmatch only
• B. Blood typing only
• C. Type and cross
• D. Type and screen

Answer: (D)

Establishing the patient’s ABO and Rh type and screening for antibodies are the initial steps in pretransfusion compatibility testing. This combination is called type and screen. The antibody screen detects any clinically significant alloantibodies that could react with donor red cells, guiding future matching if transfusion is needed. If the screen is negative, a crossmatch with a donor unit is typically performed to confirm compatibility, but the term that describes the initial testing of blood type plus antibody screening is type and screen. The other options miss part of this process: blood typing alone lacks the antibody screen, crossmatching alone lacks typing and screening, and type and cross implies performing a crossmatch alongside typing.

Establishing the patient’s ABO and Rh type and screening for antibodies are the initial steps in pretransfusion compatibility testing. This combination is called type and screen. The antibody screen detects any clinically significant alloantibodies that could react with donor red cells, guiding future matching if transfusion is needed. If the screen is negative, a crossmatch with a donor unit is typically performed to confirm compatibility, but the term that describes the initial testing of blood type plus antibody screening is type and screen. The other options miss part of this process: blood typing alone lacks the antibody screen, crossmatching alone lacks typing and screening, and type and cross implies performing a crossmatch alongside typing.