Detection of allergies | Lymphocyte transformation test

Detection of allergies

The main indication for a lymphocyte transformation test is the detection of allergies. Before the test is carried out, it must be determined for which allergies the patient wishes to be tested. Only allergies of the delayed type (type 4) are tested.

Lymphocytes play an important role in this type of allergy. Typical allergies that are detected in a lymphocyte transformation test are drug and metal allergies. In the meantime, the test can also be used for type 1 allergies.

For many allergies a detection by the lymphocyte transformation test is not possible or not necessary, since other methods are perfectly sufficient for a detection. For example, the test is not useful for food allergies. You want to know if you suffer from an allergy?

Preparation of the lymphocyte transformation test

First of all, a detailed conversation with the doctor should take place in which the symptoms are described. If necessary, further allergy tests are carried out. The doctor will decide whether a lymphocyte transformation test would be useful.

Would you like to know what other tests exist to detect an allergy? Before the test is carried out, it must be determined for which allergies it is to be tested. The patient’s blood is required for the lymphocyte transformation test.

The blood should preferably be drawn in the morning and must be sent to the laboratory the same day. However, the blood must not be cooled. Before the test is performed, it must be determined which allergies are to be tested for.Blood is required from the patient for the lymphocyte transformation test. The blood should preferably be drawn in the morning and must be sent to the laboratory the same day. However, the blood must not be cooled.

How does a lymphocyte transformation test work?

The lymphocyte transformation test must be performed in a highly qualified laboratory. In the laboratory the antigen-specific T-lymphocytes are further examined. First they are separated from whole blood.

Then they are exposed to an antigen derived from the material suspected of causing an allergy. After a certain waiting period, radioactive thymidine is added to this mixture. This is done so that the radiation emitted by the thymidine can later be used to measure how strongly the cells divide.

This is because the radioactive thymidine attaches itself to the DNA. The measure of cell division is used to assess whether the lymphocytes were stimulated by the antigen. This would then mean that an allergy is very likely present.