T2 magnetic resonance technology in microbiological diagnosis �?? our experience

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Bloodcultures (BC), when properly sampled, provide clinically relevant information that can identify the causative agent, represent guide to antibiotic therapy. BC are the gold standard in the diagnosis of septicemia but have low sensitivity. T2Dx (T2Biosystems, Lexington, Massachusetts) applies Magnetic Resonance and nanotechnology (T2MR) to detect pathogen DNA directly from 4 ml a whole blood sample for 3-5 h. In the period 10.12.2018. until 14.11.2019. 117 blood samples were processed from 72 patients in medical and surgical intensive care unit, hematology and BMT (46 male and 26 female). We used T2Bacteria panel (BP;73;62.4%) and T2Candida panel (CP;44;37.6%). Out of the total number assays performed, the positive were (29.91%; 2 CP and 33 BP); negative (66.6%; 40 BP and 38 CP). Invalid result (interference with MR signal) was obtained in 4 CP (3.41%). For most patients, samples for T2Dx and for BC were not taken at the same time (42/72), or no samples were taken for BC at all (10/72). In 20 patients (20/72), blood samples were simultaneously tested by BC and T2Dx. Out of them, in 14 patients (14/20) were T2Dx+/BC+ with same microorganisam detected, in 3 patients (3/20) were T2Dx +/BC+ with different microorganisam detected, and in 3 patients (3/20) T2Dx-/BC+. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 92.1%, 96.2%, 82.35%, and 96.15%, respectively. T2Dx could be a significant improvement for the laboratory diagnosis BSI.

Author(s): Snezana Jovanovic

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