Biochemistry
This department brings together a broad range of activities including hormonology, oncology, foetal biochemistry and specialized biochemistry.
Experts
Contact by email
Contact by email
Endocrinology
Hormone assays are essential for the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of pathologies resulting from endocrine dysfunction.
For instance, they contribute to the investigation of infertility in men and women, premature and delayed puberty, hypogonadism, growth disorders, hyperandrogenism and hirsutism in women, high blood pressure, dysthyroidism or diabetes.
Over 60 parameters are routinely measured in serum, plasma or saliva, as well as 10 metabolites in urine. They include steroids (delta 4 androstenedione, 17-OH progesterone, 11-desoxycortisol…), peptides (ACTH, ADH, C-peptide, …) and proteins (AMH, inhibin B, somatomedin C…) for the functional investigation of all endocrine glands: the thyroid, the gonads, the pituitary gland, the adrenal cortex, the endocrine pancreas, the placenta, … as well as carbohydrate metabolism and growth. The investigation could also be extended to assays on autoantibodies (against the TSH receptors, insulin, GAD65, IA2) and on carrier proteins (TBG: Thyroxin Binding Globulin, CBG : Cortisol Binding Globulin).
Biomnis performs these assays using techniques compliant with the different analytical requirements, which occasionally include radioimmunology.
On the other hand, LC/MS-MS is used to assay simultaneously catecholamines and their methylated derivatives in urine and plasma. Owing to its high performance, in terms of sensitivity and specificity, this assay can detect free forms of plasma methoxyamines, with greater specificity, especially for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.
Experts
Contact by email
Experts
Contact by email
Oncology
In the field of biochemistry, Biomnis offers the analysis of serum tumour markers by immunoassay or RIA (for the CG-free beta chain and chromogranin A) and urinary (or serum) markers such as catecholamines, metanephrines, VMA, HVA, serotonin, and 5HIIA by HPLC, which constitutes the method of reference for these areas. Free light chain tests are performed during follow-ups on myelomas and monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance.
Biomnis was among the first laboratories to introduce the PCA3 test for prostate cancer, and recently developed new biological markers in order to improve the detection of this type of cancer (Index phi using assays on [-2]proPSA, total PSA and free PSA), as well as the early management and follow-up of ovarian cancer (HE-4 and the calculation of the ROMA score).
Expert
Contact by email
Specialised biochemistry
This department performs a broad range of tests, including markers of alcoholism (blood alcohol and CDT), markers of hepatic fibrosis (biological assays for the Fibrotest®, Fibromax®, and Fibrometers®), markers of renal insufficiency and for the follow-up of haemodialyzed patients, markers of calcium/phosphate metabolism and bone remodelling (ionized Ca, PTH, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatases, P1NP, serum and urinary Crosslaps, vitamin D and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D), cardiac and muscle markers (troponin, BNP, NTproBNP, CK-MB mass, myoglobin, and aldolase), and markers of iron balance (iron, ferritin, transferrin and the soluble transferrin receptor).
Assays are also available for all routine parameters of clinical chemistry in the blood and urine, for clinical enzymology, and protein immunochemistry: alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, beta 2-microglobulin, ceruloplasmin, cystatin C…, the proteins involved in inflammatory responses (haptoglobin, orosomucoid, ultrasensisitive CRP…) and nutrition (albumin, prealbumin, RBP…). These assays are performed on automated analytical platforms, which ensures the delivery of reliable results within the shortest possible time frame, and contributes to the improvement of medical care on a daily basis.
Our pathologists are members of the SFTA (Société Françaises de Toxicologie Analytique; French Society of Analytical Chemistry) and SFBC (Société Française de Biologie Clinique; French Society of Clinical Biology).
Resources
Endocrinology
Focus 34 – Puberty problems in girls
Focus 33 – Vitamin D
Focus 13 – Gestational diabetes
Focus 10 – Osteoporosis
Focus 8 – Phosphocalcium metabolism
Oncology
Focus on – Ovarian cancer HE4 + ROMA score
Focus on – Prostate Cancer phi, Prostate Health Index
Specialised biochemistry
Focus 44 – Clinical cases in Biochemistry (2)
Focus 41 – Clinical Cases in Biochemistry
Focus 39 – Acute renale failure
Focus on – Faecal Calprotectin