Medical Laboratory Testing
Laboratory testing is a vital part of the world of medicine. Some examples of lab testing include, but are not limited to, the following:
Cytopathology
Cytopathology testing involves the examination of cell smears from various parts of the body to check for malignancy, inflammation or other problems. Examples of cytopathological tests are Pap smears for cervical examination or microscopic examination of skin cells to detect skin cancer.
Hematology
Hematology concerns the study of blood. Medical laboratories do many blood tests and are an important tool in evaluating cell and organ function, diagnosing illnesses, checking the efficiency of clotting, checking medication levels, discerning blood types and checking for toxins in the blood.
Microbiology
Microbiologists work mainly with cultures, looking for suspected pathogens in clinical specimens. The specimens they examine may include blood, urine, saliva, feces, sputum and urine. Microbiology labs often do testing to determine whether a particular pathogen is resistant or sensitive to a particular medication. A subdivision of microbiology is parisitology that investigates the presence or absence of parasites. Most frequently microbiologists investigate feces, though they may examine blood, sputum and urine specimens as well.
Toxicology
Laboratories also test for toxins in the blood or urine, primarily for prescription or recreational drugs.
Urinalysis
Urinalysis tests for levels of various substances in the urine, including blood, glucose, bilirubin and protein. Urinalysis is very useful in diagnosing many diseases and conditions.
Virology
Virology testing is concerned with detecting and identifying viruses in specimens of blood, cerebrospinal fluid or urine.
Common Laboratory Tests
Laboratory tests are commonly performed as part of routine physical examinations. Some of the other common laboratory tests which may show metabolic irregularities, organ or gland function, incipient or progressing disease processes, traumatic conditions or levels of prescribed medications may include tests for:
- A1C/fasting glucose (sugar)
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH
- Lipid levels for high cholesterol
- Other abnormal enzymes and proteins
- Organ & metabolic function (kidney, liver, electrolytes, etc.).
- MedlinePlus
- National Institutes of Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- U.S. National Library of Medicine
