If you've ever had to give a tube of blood or a little cup of urine in your doctor's office, you've had a laboratory test. Laboratory tests check a sample of your blood, urine or body tissues. A technician or your doctor analyzes the test samples to see if your results fall within the normal range. The tests use a range because what is normal differs from person to person. Many factors affect test results. These include
- Your sex, age and race
- What you eat and drink
- Medicines you take
- How well you followed pre-test instructions
Your doctor may also compare your results to results from previous tests. Laboratory tests are often part of a routine checkup to look for changes in your health. They also help doctors diagnose medical conditions, plan or evaluate treatments, and monitor diseases.
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Interpreting Laboratory Test Results
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/laboratory-tests
- Lab Tests(Center for Devices and Radiological Health) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/oivd/consumer-lab.html
- Understanding Your Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/index.html
- Asking Questions about Medical Tests(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/cc/cc020508.htm
- Common Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/testtips/commontests.html
- Directory of Medical Tests(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest2.html
- Spit Proteins Could Lead to Oral Cancer Test(10/01/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69908.html
- Online-Mediated Syphilis Testing Shows Promise(09/16/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69321.html
- Blood Sugar Test May Also Aid Diabetes Detection(08/07/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67913.html
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Scientists Develop Sensitive Salivary Sensor
(08/01/2008, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2008/nidcr-01.htm
- More News on Laboratory Tests http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_l.html#laboratorytests
- Reference Ranges & What They Mean: The "Normal" or Reference Range(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/ref_ranges.html
- Screening Tests for Adults (Ages 30-49)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/d_adult_1.html
- Screening Tests for Young Adults (Ages 19-29)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/c_youngadult1_1.html
- Coping with Test Pain, Discomfort, and Anxiety(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/coping.html
- Test Preparation: Your Role(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/test_prep.html
- Tips on Blood Testing(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/testtips/bloodtips.html
- Basic Blood Tests(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest5.html
- Blood Culture(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/blood_culture/test.html
- BMP (Basic Metabolic Panel)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/bmp/glance.html
- Complete Blood Count(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cbc/test.html
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cmp/glance.html
- Electrolytes Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/electrolytes/test.html
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JAMA Patient Page: Frozen Section Biopsy(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/294/24/3200.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/294/24/3200/DC1/1
- Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/lumbar_puncture.html
- Stool Tests(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest8.html
- Testing in the Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory(American Heart Association) - http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/115/24/e624
- Urine Tests(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest7.html
- Helping You Identify Quality Laboratory Services(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) - http://www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Choices/hc_lab.htm
- Home-Use Tests(Center for Devices and Radiological Health) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/oivd/consumer-homeuse.html
- How Reliable Is Laboratory Testing?(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/reliability-2.html
- Lab Oversight: A Building Block of Trust(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/lab/labquality.html
- Pathologist(American Society for Clinical Pathology) - Links to PDF - http://www.ascp.org/pdf/ThePathologist.aspx
- Reference Ranges & What They Mean(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/ref_ranges.html
- Where Lab Tests Are Performed(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/lab/labtypes.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematologic Tests
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Hematologic+Tests%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinalysis
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Urinalysis%22
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Point-of-Care Diagnostic Testing
(National Institutes of Health) - Links to PDF - http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/PointofCare.pdf
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Salivary Diagnostics
(National Institutes of Health) - Links to PDF - http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/SalivaryDiagnostics.pdf
- Article: Sleep apnea tests get comfortable. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18792448&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Interactive, culturally sensitive education on colorectal cancer screening. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18725832&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Implementing an intervention to promote colon cancer screening through e-mail... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18725823&tool=MedlinePlus
- Laboratory Tests -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(diagnostic+tests,+routine[mh]+OR+diagnostic+techniques+and+procedures[majr:noexp])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary(Center for Devices and Radiological Health) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/oivd/consumer-glossary.html
- Index of Glossary Terms(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/map/gindex.html
- Accredited Laboratory Directory(College of American Pathologists) - http://www.cap.org/apps/cap.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=accrlabsearch_page
- Laboratory Directory-GeneReviews(University of Washington) - http://www.genetests.org/servlet/access?id=8888891&key=xW0l31Z2a4hTc&fcn=y&fw=XPF9&filename=/labsearch/searchdztest.html
- Screening Tests for Children (Ages 2 to 12)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/b_children_1-2.html
- Screening Tests for Infants(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/ab_infant_1.html
- Screening Tests for Newborns(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/a_newborn_1.html
- Tips to Help Children through Their Medical Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/testtips/kidtips.html
- Screening Tests for Teens (Ages 13-18)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/c_teen_1.html
- Screening Tests during Pregnancy(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/pregnancy.html
- Screening Tests for Adults (50 and Up)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/wellness/e_over50_1.html
- Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/testtips/elderlytips.html
- Diagnostic Imaging - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diagnosticimaging.html
- Diagnostic Tests - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diagnostictests.html
Laboratory Tests - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/laboratorytests.html