Laboratory Tests PDF

LABORATORY TESTS UNIT 1: MEDICAL AND PARAMEDICAL PERSONNEL AND PLACES TECHNICAL ENGLISH I TOPIC 4 Ma. Isabel Cristina Sandoval de Cortez What is a laboratory test? A medical procedure that involves testing a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body. Laboratory tests can help determi...

LABORATORY TESTS UNIT 1: MEDICAL AND PARAMEDICAL PERSONNEL AND PLACES TECHNICAL ENGLISH I TOPIC 4 Ma. Isabel Cristina Sandoval de Cortez What is a laboratory test? A medical procedure that involves testing a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body. Laboratory tests can help determine a diagnosis, plan treatment, check to see if treatment is working, or monitor the disease over time. COMMON TESTS INCLUDE: Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) Lipid Profile Thyroid Test(s) Complete Blood Count (CBC) with or without White Blood Cell (WBC) Differential Prothrombin Time (PT) with INR & Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) Urinalysis (UA) BASIC METABOLIC PANEL The BMP may be part of a blood work-up for a medical exam or a yearly physical. It measures: How well your kidneys are working Electrolytes to check your fluid balance Your blood sugar or Glucose level to check for diabetes Calcium for your bone health Risk of disease complications or side effects of drugs The BMP includes: Glucose Calcium Electrolytes Sodium Potassium Chloride CO2 Kidney Tests Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Creatinine  What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel  The CMP is a larger panel of tests that may be part of a blood work-up for a medical exam or a yearly physical. A CMP includes tests that measure: How well your kidneys & liver are working Electrolytes to check your fluid balance Glucose to check for diabetes Calcium & other minerals Blood Proteins Risk of disease complications or side effects of drugs The CMP includes: Tests in the BMP plus Proteins Albumin Total Protein Liver Tests Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Bilirubin The Lipid panel  These tests help your provider decide if you are at risk of developing heart disease. He or she will consider the results along with other known risk factors to develop a plan of treatment & follow-up care. The panel includes: Triglycerides Cholesterol HDL Cholesterol (“Good” Cholesterol) LDL Cholesterol (“Bad” Cholesterol) HDL/Cholesterol ratio or risk score based on test results, age, sex & other risk factors Thyroid function tests  Thyroid Function Tests check the thyroid gland located in the front of the neck below your Adam’s apple. This gland makes hormones that play an important role in regulating your body’s metabolism. The tests also used to monitor patients who are taking hormone replacement medicine.  Thyroid Function tests include: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Free or Total T4 Free or Total T3 Complete Blood Count (CBC) & White Blood Cell (WBC) Differential  A CBC with or without a WBC differential is often done as part of a routine medical exam. The test measures the types & numbers of: White Blood Cells (WBC’s) for fighting infections Red Blood Cells (RBC’s) for carrying oxygen throughout your body Platelets for stopping minor bleeding CBC is used to: Check for anemia or blood loss Diagnose infections (bacterial & viral) Detect diseases like leukemia and sickle cell Check the response to some types of drug or radiation treatment Monitor the health of patients receiving chemotherapy Prothrombin Time (PT) with INR & Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)  This test helps measure the ability of your blood to form a healthy clot: Make sure your anti-coagulant or “blood thinning” medicine is at the correct level Check for some bleeding disorders (such as hemophilia) that run in families Make sure your hemostatic health (the ability of your blood to form a clot) is sufficient before having surgery Check for other problems such as liver disease or a need for vitamins What INR means: The International Normalized Ratio (INR) helps standardize PT results from one Laboratory to the next. This is important when you need your test performed when you travel. Urinalysis (UA)  This test may be ordered as part of a wellness exam, if you have symptoms of frequency or burning during urination or as part of a metabolic workup. It can detect metabolic & kidney disorders as well as urinary tract infections.  UA Measures: Acidity of your urine (pH) Concentration of your urine (specific gravity) Presence of red or white blood cells Bacteria or yeast Crystals or casts Sugar, protein, bilirubin What are medical X- rays?  X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light. Unlike light, however, x-rays have higher energy and can pass through most objects, including the body. Medical x-rays are used to generate images of tissues and structures inside the body. If x-rays traveling through the body also pass through an x-ray detector on the other side of the patient, an image will be formed that represents the “shadows” formed by the objects inside of the body. When are medical x-rays used? Diagnostic  X-ray radiography: Detects bone fractures, certain tumors and other abnormal masses, pneumonia, some types of injuries, calcifications, foreign objects, or dental problems.