title: Achievements and Future Directions of the APFCB Mass Spectrometry Harmonisation Project on Serum Testosterone.
abstract: As an outcome of the 2010 Asian Pacific Conference for Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry in Hong Kong, a collaborative working group was formed to promote the harmonisation of mass spectrometry methods. The Mass Spectrometry Harmonisation Working Group resides under the combined auspices of the Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (APFCB) and the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB). A decision was made to initially focus attention on serum steroids due to the common interest of members in this area; with the first steroid to assess being testosterone. In principle, full standardisation with traceability should be achievable for all steroids as they are small compounds with defined molecular weight and structure. In order to achieve this we need certified reference materials, reference methods, reference laboratories, reference intervals and external quality assurance programs; each being an important pillar in the process. When all the pillars are present, such as for serum testosterone, it is feasible to fully standardise the liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. In a collaborative process with interested stakeholders, we commenced on a pathway to provide ongoing assessment and seek opportunities for improvement in the LC-MS/MS methods for serum steroids. Here we discuss the outcomes to date and major challenges related to the accurate measurement of serum steroids with a focus on serum testosterone.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ronda F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.affiliation: Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Chung S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: PathWest Laboratory Medicine Fiona Stanley Hospital, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsten E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hoad
authors.affiliation: Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McWhinney
authors.affiliation: RCPAQAP Chemical Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Janice P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Therese
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authors.lastname: Koal
authors.affiliation: Agilent Technologies, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fouracre
authors.affiliation: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Heidi P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Iu
authors.affiliation: PathWest Laboratory Medicine Fiona Stanley Hospital, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Conchita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boyder
authors.affiliation: Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Hai T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.affiliation: RCPAQAP Chemical Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jolly