AACC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the AACC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 AACC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 AACC Topics to Study (27)
✍️ Sample AACC Questions & Answers
1. Which of the following best describes a 'delta check' in laboratory quality management?
Delta checks compare a patient's current result to prior results to identify clinically implausible changes that may indicate specimen labeling or collection errors.
2. Which turnaround time (TAT) metric measures the time from when a specimen is received in the laboratory to when the result is reported?
Laboratory TAT measures the internal processing time from specimen receipt to result reporting, which is directly controllable by laboratory operations.
3. What does the term 'carry-over' mean in the context of automated analyzer performance?
Carry-over occurs when residual analyte from a high-concentration specimen contaminates the subsequent specimen, potentially causing falsely elevated results.
4. Which laboratory test is the standard for monitoring unfractionated heparin (UFH) therapy?
UFH is monitored with aPTT because heparin potentiates antithrombin III inhibition of intrinsic pathway factors, prolonging the aPTT; therapeutic range is typically 1.5–2.5× control.
5. What is the purpose of a control sample?
A control sample is a material with a known, stable concentration of an analyte that is run alongside patient samples during testing. Its purpose is to verify the accuracy and precision of the analytical method and instrument performance. By comparing the measured value of the control to its known target range, laboratories can confirm that the test system is operating correctly and producing reliable results.
6. In the evaluation of a microcytic anemia, which set of iron studies distinguishes anemia of chronic disease (ACD) from iron deficiency anemia (IDA)?
ACD shows elevated ferritin (acute-phase reactant), low TIBC (suppressed iron transport), and low serum iron; IDA shows low ferritin (depleted stores), high TIBC, and low serum iron.