Clinical lab testing uses chemical processes to measure levels of chemical components in body fluids and tissues. The most common specimens used in clinical lab tests are blood and urine. Many different tests exist to detect and measure almost any type of chemical component in blood or urine. Components may include blood glucose, electrolytes, enzymes, hormones, lipids (fats), other metabolic substances, and proteins.
The following are some of the more common laboratory tests:
A variety of blood tests are used to check the levels of substances in the blood that indicate how healthy the body is and whether infection is present. For example, blood tests revealing elevated levels of waste products, such as creatinine or blood urea nitrogen (BUN), indicate that the kidneys are not working efficiently to filter those substances out.
Other tests check the presence of electrolytes -- chemical compounds such as sodium and potassium that are critical to the body's healthy functioning. Coagulation studies determine how quickly the blood clots.
A complete blood count (CBC) measures the size, number, and maturity of the different blood cells in a specific volume of blood. This is one of the most common tests performed. Red blood cells are important for carrying oxygen and fighting anemia and fatigue - the hemoglobin portion of the CBC measures the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells, while the hematocrit measures the percentage of red blood cells in the blood. White blood cells fight infection - increased numbers of white blood cells in the CBC, therefore, may indicate the presence of an infection. Platelets prevent the body from bleeding and bruising easily – low levels of platelets in the CBC could be the sign of a disease
Tumor markers are substances either released by cancer cells into the blood or urine, or substances created by the body in response to cancer cells. Tumor markers are used to evaluate how well a patient has responded to treatment and to check for tumor recurrence. Research is currently being conducted on the role of tumor markers in detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers, and new tumor markers are continuously being introduced.
Tumor markers are useful in identifying potential problems, but in most cases they must be used along with other tests for the following reasons: