As part of Sonic Healthcare USA’s (SHUSA) exclusive licensing agreement with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to offer the ThyroSeq® test to patients, SHUSA has opened a custom-designed laboratory to bring testing in-house.
Located in Rye Brook, New York, the new laboratory is the culmination of meticulous planning and careful construction, resulting in a next-generation facility for genomic testing. The laboratory occupies 21,000 sq ft, including more than 4,300 sq ft of advanced wet laboratory space and cutting-edge equipment.
ThyroSeq testing is used for thyroid nodules that don’t result in a clear diagnosis using fine-needle aspirate cytology. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is applied to the existing specimen to determine whether the nodule is malignant or benign, avoiding the need for patients to have surgery, which is usually the next course of action.
The ThyroSeq laboratory focuses on processing thyroid samples, including fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks/slides and cytology smears. The laboratory integrates the latest in NGS technology, from nucleic acid extraction to DNA and RNA sequencing. The data generated is meticulously analyzed through a proprietary pipeline, including a unique genomic classifier (GC), allowing the lab to accurately determine the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules, while also identifying the primary drivers of that malignancy, crucial for guiding clinical decision-making.
The facility’s Medical Director of Molecular Pathology, Dr Paolo Cotzia, oversees operations, managing a dynamic team of laboratory professionals and directing quality assurance at the highest level of patient care. In addition, Dr Cotzia is establishing and heading the SHUSA Molecular Pathology Center of Excellence.
The molecular ThyroSeq laboratory represents a leap forward in SHUSA’s diagnostic capabilities and reinforces Sonic’s commitment to advancing patient care through cutting-edge medical technology.