Published: 17 Sep 2024

Laboratory Tests

Purpose of Lab Tests:

* Provide general information about organ and body system health
* Track disease progression and treatment effectiveness (if diagnosed)
* Screen for potential diseases
* Monitor existing conditions and treatments

Types of Lab Tests:

* Blood Glucose Test: Diagnoses and monitors diabetes
* HPV Test: Screens for human papillomavirus infection
* Great Blood Count: Assesses overall health and identifies potential diseases
* Pap Test: Screens for cervical cancer

Uses of Lab Tests:

* Diagnose diseases: Determine the presence of specific conditions (e.g., HPV test)
* Monitor health: Detect changes in body systems over time
* Screen for diseases: Identify individuals at risk for specific diseases (e.g., Pap test)
* Evaluate treatment effectiveness: Track the progress of treatments for existing conditions

Reference Ranges:

To establish reference ranges for tests, laboratories typically follow these steps:

1. Define Reference Population: Identify the group of individuals to be represented in the range.
2. Test Population: Test a sufficient number of individuals from the reference population (minimum of 120).
3. Analyze Results: Statistically determine the values that represent the middle 95% of the reference population.