Laboratory Testing

Lab Tests

Laboratory tests are one of the most useful diagnostic tools available to doctors.  Most annual check-ups include a "chemistry panel," which checks the blood for glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides.  This provides valuable insight into the health of your cardiovascular system and is a good indicator of your overall health.  A blood glucose test will identify whether you have or are at risk of developing diabetes.  Blood tests can also be used to find infections by counting the number of white blood cells present in the body; an elevated white count is a sign that your immune system is working to combat a threat. 

Other tests can be completed as part of routine or diagnostic blood work.  One example is a vitamin D test, which checks the levels of vitamin D present in your blood stream as an indicator of potential deficiencies.  If you do not have enough vitamin D in your body, a doctor may prescribe a supplement to boost your protection against osteoporosis, cancer and infections.  Tests to check your thyroid level are also common. 

Blood isn't the only substance that can be inspected at a laboratory.  Urine samples are often collected when ruling out urinary tract infections, kidney disease and liver problems.  Additionally, urine samples are used to confirm a pregnancy and to rule out drug usage.  Many employers require that you submit a urinalysis drug screening before starting a job or at random during your employment. 

Doctors may also sometimes find that it's necessary to collect fecal samples as a way to identify developing colon cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders.  Women will also undergo a regular pap smear, which is an examination of cultures taken from the cervix as a way to identify cancer and other abnormalities. 

Finally, tissue samples may be examined in a laboratory as a way of identifying potentially cancerous tumors.  This process, called a biopsy, involves removing some or all of a tumor and carefully examining its cellular makeup to determine whether it is benign or malignant. 

Whenever you go to the doctor, you may often need to obtain lab tests as part of your examination.  The doctor will explain the purpose of these tests and, once they've been completed, discuss the findings with you and explain how these results will affect your treatment.