Medical Tests - Tests of Medical terminology and Diagnostic Medical Tests

Medical Lab Test

The quality of any laboratory test result is dependent on many variables. First, the patient must be properly prepared so that the best possible specimen can be collected. Next, the actual collection of the specimen must be completed. Then, the specimen should be properly processed, packaged and transported to the laboratory in a timely manner and under environmental conditions that will not compromise the integrity of the specimen. After all of these activities take place a quality analysis can be performed.

It is critical that the volume of specimens requested should be strictly adhered to. DO NOT COMPROMISE with the requested volume.

If an inadequate specimen is submitted which is less than the minimum volumerequired, the test will not be performed and the report will indicate that the specimen quantity submitted was QNS (Quantity not sufficient). When serum or plasma is to be submitted for analysis, it is generally a good practice to collect a volume of blood that is 2-2.5 times the volume of serum or plasma needed for the test.

The storage/transport temperatures for specimens requested should be strictly adhered to. Any alterations will affect the stability of the analytes being tested.

Medical Diagnostic Testing

The purpose of performing a test on a patient is to reduce uncertainty about the patient's diagnosis or prognosis and to aid the clinician in making management decisions. Although diagnostic tests are commonly thought of as laboratory tests (e.g., measurement of serum amylase level) or procedures (e.g., colonoscopy or bronchoscopy), any technology that changes our understanding of the patient's problem qualifies as a diagnostic test. Thus, even the history and physical examination can be considered a form of diagnostic test. In clinical medicine, it is common to reduce the results of a test to a dichotomous outcome, such as positive or negative, normal or abnormal. In many cases, this simplification results in the waste of useful information. However, such simplification makes it easier to demonstrate some of the quantitative ways in which test data can be used.

Test Interferences

Certain foods, drugs, investigations involving injection/ingestion of dyes, radiological investigations, etc., may interfere in the correct evaluation/estimation of some analytes. As a general rule, any such interfering iternls should be discontinued for a period corresponding to 2.5 half lives in vivo, or 7-10 days, if there is a doubt. If for therapeutic concerns the substance! s cannot be withheld, the treating physician should be made aware to either avoid the test or to correlate the results with the limitation.

Transportation to Laboratory

Transport requirements are of three types: Frozen, Refrigerated or at Room Temperature.

Frozen:

1. Remove all contents of transport box
2. Place a layer of perforated sponge at bottom of thermacol box
3. Place a prefrozen gel pack over the perforated sponge (gel packs must be prefrozen at 0° C for 24 hours prior to use)
4. Place specimens sealed in Zip lock bag over the gel pack
5. Place another prefrozen gel pack over the samples
6. Cover with second layer of perforated sponge
7. Place unperforated sponge and close thermacollid
8. Seal the cardboard box and transport to laboratory immediately.
9. Indicate 'Frozen Samples' on cardboard box.

Refrigerated:

I. Remove all contents of transport box
2. Place a prefrozen gel pack at bottom of thermacol box (gel packs must be prefrozen at 0° C for 24 hours prior to use)
3. Place a layer of perforated sponge over the prefrozen gel pack
4. Place specimens sealed in zip lock bag over the perforated sponge
5. Cover specimens with second layer of perforated sponge
6. Place another prefrozen gel pack over the samples
7. Place unperforated sponge and close thermacollid.
8. Seal the cardboard box and transport to laboratory immediately.
9. Indicate 'Refrigerated Samples' on cardboard box.

Room Temperature:

I. Remove all contents of transport box
2. Place a layer of perforated sponge at bottom of thermacol box
3. Place specimens sealed in Zip lock bag over the perforated sponge
4. Cover specimens with second layer of perforated sponge
5. Place unperforated sponge and close thermacollid
6. Seal the cardboard box and transport to laboratory immediately.
7. Indicate" Room Temperature Samples" on cardboard box.