Cross-match testing is used to verify what?

• A. It detects iron deficiency
• B. It identifies donor blood type
• C. It detects pathogens in donor blood
• D. It ensures compatibility between donor blood and recipient blood

Answer: (D)

Cross-match testing checks compatibility between donor blood and the recipient’s blood. It does this by testing the recipient’s serum or plasma against donor red blood cells (and sometimes the reverse) to see if antibodies in the recipient will attack the donor cells. If there’s no reaction, the donor unit is considered compatible and can be transfused, reducing the risk of a transfusion reaction. This step follows blood typing and antibody screening and is done specifically to ensure safe compatibility. It’s not used to detect iron deficiency, nor does it screen for pathogens in donor blood, and it isn’t the method used to identify donor blood type.