Trusted-source patient education
Health & Laboratory Topics
38 concise guides connect trusted public-health references with laboratory education without diagnosis, treatment advice, or personalized test recommendations.
Understanding laboratory testing
Health topic
Understanding Blood Tests
Blood tests examine a blood sample for cells, chemicals, proteins, hormones, antibodies, or other measurable features.
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Preparing for a Blood Test
Preparation can affect specimen quality and may include instructions about timing, food, drinks, exercise, medicines, or supplements.
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Fasting Before Laboratory Testing
Fasting means avoiding food and most drinks for a specified period when the requested test requires it; water may be allowed under the supplied instructions.
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Understanding Laboratory Reference Ranges
A reference range describes values found in a defined reference population using a particular laboratory method.
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Why Reference Ranges Can Differ
Reference ranges can differ because laboratories may use different methods, equipment, units, and reference populations.
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What Can Affect Laboratory Results?
Food, drinks, medicines, supplements, exercise, timing, illness, and collection conditions can affect selected laboratory results.
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Understanding Urine Testing
Urine testing may assess physical, chemical, or microscopic features of a urine sample, depending on the requested test.
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Understanding Stool Testing
Stool tests examine a collected sample for a specific laboratory purpose, such as blood, infection, inflammation, or digestive function.
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Understanding Hormone Testing
Hormone tests measure selected chemical messengers in blood, urine, saliva, or another specified specimen.
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Understanding Antibody Testing
Antibody tests look for selected immune-system proteins related to infection, vaccination, allergy, or autoimmune evaluation.
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Understanding Genetic Laboratory Testing
Genetic tests examine chromosomes, genes, or selected variants for a defined clinical purpose.
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Understanding Tumor Markers
Tumor markers are substances or changes that may be measured in blood, urine, tissue, or other specimens in selected cancer-care contexts.
Read the guideCommon health topics
Health topic
Diabetes & Blood Sugar
Diabetes is a group of conditions in which blood glucose is too high because of problems with insulin production, insulin action, or both.
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Prediabetes
Prediabetes describes blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not in the diabetes range.
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Cholesterol & Heart Health
Cholesterol and triglycerides are blood lipids. Their levels form part of a broader cardiovascular risk assessment.
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Thyroid Health
The thyroid gland makes hormones that help regulate metabolism and many body functions.
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Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency means the body does not have enough available iron for its needs and may exist with or without anemia.
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Anemia
Anemia means the blood has a lower-than-expected amount of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports calcium balance and bone health, and blood testing can measure a form used to assess vitamin D status.
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Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is needed for healthy blood cells and nervous-system function.
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Folate
Folate is a B vitamin involved in cell division and healthy blood-cell formation.
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Kidney Health
The kidneys filter blood, regulate fluid and electrolytes, and remove waste products.
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Liver Health
The liver processes nutrients, produces important proteins, and helps remove substances from the body.
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Inflammation & Laboratory Testing
Inflammation is part of the body’s response to injury, infection, or other conditions.
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Allergy Testing
Allergy testing looks for evidence of an immune response to a suspected substance using blood or skin methods.
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Autoimmune Testing
Autoimmune testing may look for antibodies that react with the body’s own cells or tissues.
Read the guideLife stage and prevention
Health topic
Preventive Health
Preventive care aims to reduce health risks and identify selected conditions before complications develop.
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Women's Health & Laboratory Testing
Laboratory testing may support preventive, reproductive, endocrine, nutritional, and general health care across different life stages.
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Men's Health & Laboratory Testing
Laboratory testing may support preventive, metabolic, cardiovascular, reproductive, and general health care for men.
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Healthy Ageing & Laboratory Testing
Healthy ageing focuses on maintaining function and wellbeing while managing changing health needs over time.
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Pregnancy-Related Laboratory Education
Laboratory tests may be used at different stages of pregnancy to support maternal and fetal care.
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Planning Pregnancy & Laboratory Questions
Preconception care is health care before pregnancy that considers medical history, medicines, vaccination, family history, and other factors.
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Fertility Laboratory Education
Fertility evaluation may involve history, examination, imaging, semen analysis, hormone tests, or other investigations for one or both partners.
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Children's Laboratory Testing
Age-appropriate preparation can help a child understand what will happen during specimen collection and reduce avoidable distress.
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General Wellness Screening
Wellness screening is intended to support preventive conversations and may combine history, measurements, and selected tests.
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Preparation guide
Preparing for Home Collection
Home Collection changes where a specimen is collected, not the medical purpose or preparation requirements of the requested test.
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Why Some Tests Use Reference Laboratories
Some uncommon or specialized investigations may require methods, expertise, or workflows available at a specialist or reference laboratory.
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How to Ask About an Uncommon Laboratory Test
An exact test name, abbreviation, specimen, method, or requesting document can help the laboratory identify an uncommon investigation.
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