The Porphyria Centre based at Bedford Hospital provides a specialist analytical, diagnostic, interpretive and advisory service to laboratories across the United Kingdom on the diagnosis and management of all types of acute and cutaneous porphyrias.
The centre provides comprehensive biochemical analysis for all porphyric disorders, including quantitation of urinary ALA and PBG, urine and faecal Porphyrins by HPLC with separation of isomers, erythrocyte protoporphyrins, erythrocyte hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) activity as well as plasma fluorescence emission spectroscopy.
The laboratory service is fully accredited by UKAS to ISO15189 and participates in a range of External Quality Assurance schemes (both for analytical and clinical/interpretative purposes), namely the Wales External Quality Assurance (WEQAS), the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and Ipnet Porphyrin Schemes.