Medical TestsA medical test is any kind of diagnostic procedure performed for health reasons. Tests are performed to screen for disease, to diagnose diseases, to measure or monitor the course of a disease, to confirm that a person is free from disease and plan your treatment for a disease or condition. Medical tests are used to classify and measure the severity of a disease that has already been diagnosed. Results may lead to more specific and effective choices for treatment. For example, after a diagnosis of lung cancer is confirmed, additional tests are performed to determine if and where the cancer has spread. Doctor is only the best person to judge which is the best medical test to confirm the presence of the disease. For this, the doctor may consider information about the disease in the area where he practices, including how common the disease is (prevalence) and how many new cases of the disease occur during a specific period of time (incidence). The doctor also considers the family history of the person. On the basis of this information, the doctor can then select the best test to confirm the presence of the disease. How are medical tests analyzed?After your doctor collects a sample from your body, it is sent to a laboratory. Laboratories perform tests on the sample to see if it reacts to different substances. Depending on the test, a reaction may mean you do have a particular condition or it may mean that you do not have the particular condition. Sometimes laboratories compare your results to results obtained from previous tests, to see if there has been a change in your condition. How Reliable is Laboratory Testing?Laboratory tests or medical tests drive a large part of the clinical decisions our doctors make about our health, from diagnosis through therapy and prognosis. Given the crucial role that test data play in medical decision-making, we prepared this article to help you understand the key concepts and practices that are involved in making laboratory tests reliable. Many factors can affect test results, including:
What about the test results?
Medical tests and procedures can often be confusing and stressful. Here you will find relevant and reliable medical information on common procedures and tests. Find your topic by using the left hand menu bar. |
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