Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Required Elements for Laboratory Test Results
• Method 2 of 4: Required Lab Report Items
• Method 3 of 4: Signals
• Method 4 of 4: Your Rights
• Tips
• Warnings

Are you confused when you see your medical test results? Do you have questions about what laboratory terminology means? This article will help you understand what the doctor says about your test results. Please note that this article does not in any way imply or is intended to provide medical advice.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Required Elements for Laboratory Test Results

All laboratory reports must contain certain elements as established by the rules. Here are some common elements.

1. 1 Patient name and ID number. They are required to properly identify and link laboratory test results to a specific patient.
2. 2 Name and address of the laboratory. The laboratory where the analyzes were carried out should be named on the form, indicating the responsibility of the performer.
3. 3 The date of the study. This is the day the test results appeared and were then reported to the doctor.

Method 2 of 4: Required Lab Report Items

1. 1 Headings. Some major headings include: Hematology (examining blood cells), Chemistry (examining certain chemical components found in the bloodstream or tissues), Urinalysis (examining urine and urinary deposits and components), Bacteriology / Microbiology (examining bacteria that can be found in body), Immunology (the study of protective substances called antibodies), Endocrinology (the study of hormones), and Blood test (the study of blood type and proteins in the blood). Most of these results are presented in columnar format.
2. 2 Fence source. This is important because protein, for example, can be obtained for analysis from different sources: your blood or urine.
3. 3 Date and time of collection. This will be indicated in each report, as some test results depend on when the test material was collected.
4. 4 The name of the analysis performed. Although the name of the analysis is given, it is often shortened to an abbreviation. Labtestsonline.org has a clear list of abbreviations for many tests.
5. 5 Test results. Results can be reflected in different ways, depending on the analysis. The result can be presented as a number (for example, to assess cholesterol levels), as an indication of a positive or negative sign (for example, in a pregnancy test), or as text (for example, a list of bacteria found in an infected area).
   • Test results that differ from the norm usually stand out somehow. "H" can mean that the number is lower than the regulatory range, and "B" can mean that it is higher than it should be.
   • Results that need to be reported to the doctor immediately because they are dangerously high are usually marked with an asterisk. The report usually contains the date and time when this information was provided to the doctor.
6. 6 Regulatory ranges. This is the basic information that is used to determine if test results are normal.
   • There are many factors that can affect whether your results are within the target range, including your age and gender, stress level, or pregnancy.
   • It is quite possible to go beyond the normative values ​​for some kind of analysis, being in good health. In this case, it is not at all necessary that something serious threatens your health. You should consult your doctor if you are concerned about a specific indicator.

Method 3 of 4: Signals

Signals - letters and symbols that draw attention to the analysis result.

1. 1 Common laboratory signals. These include: K for Critical (sometimes also means Commentary), B for High, H for Low, VK for High Critical, NK for Low Critical, and D for Delta. Delta is a large and sudden change in the test result compared to the previous study.Typically, the Delta is affixed under constant supervision, such as a hospital stay.
   • Look, somewhere in the report there should be a line that explains what these or those symbols (signals) mean in your particular report. The legend is usually shown at the bottom of the results page.
2. 2 The absence of a signal does not mean that the result is normal. Normal readings are usually listed on the right side of the lab report.
3. 3 Write down the name of the analysis for which the signal was delivered. This is usually the left column. For example, if the result is 3.0 (N) and the test is potassium, record this result. You can ask your doctor about the significance of the result, or try to find the answer yourself.

Method 4 of 4: Your Rights

1. 1 Obtaining a copy of the report. If you have a blood test done, you have the right to get copies of these tests from the doctor or laboratory that took them. For such a request, the medical institution has 30 days in order to transfer the documents to you.
2. 2 Consideration of information. It is your doctor's responsibility to explain any test results to you during his consultation.

Tips

• Keep in mind that you are not trained or educated in laboratory research and medicine.
• Be aware that you may not have actual results in hand. The doctor will often pass on the results to you.
• Analysis of urine
• Immunohematology
• Microbiological findings are often lengthy, confusing, and difficult to understand. It is highly recommended that you discuss these with your doctor as he or she will be able to "digest" all these long words and results.
• Immunology
• Always call your doctor for test results. Most laboratories are not allowed to release test results to patients under privacy laws.
• Hematology
• Bacteriology
• Chemistry
• For a sample lab report, go to
• http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d11/BgJff/examplelabreport.webp.
• Endocrinology
• Sometimes laboratory tests are time consuming. Tests for specific bacteria can often take 6 to 8 weeks to produce results.
• Save your registration and retrieve your results later.
• Here is a link to the various benchmarks for Lab Values ​​analyzes. "Regulatory ranges" can vary from laboratory to laboratory (due to methodology and differences in equipment) and also from territory to territory (different indicators for different population groups arise due to differences in lifestyle, diet and other factors). Because of this, what is considered the normal range of results in your area may not be the same elsewhere.

Warnings

• This article is in no way intended or intended to provide medical advice. For medical advice, please contact your doctor.
• Never try to heal yourself with your test results. Laboratory test results are just one part of a wide range of tools that a doctor uses to diagnose and treat diseases or painful conditions. Trying to pinpoint problems using only test results is like trying to describe all the rooms in a house while you are only allowed to enter the dining room. At the same time, a complete medical examination, images (X-rays, CT scans, etc.), medical history and other diagnostic tools help your doctor diagnose and treat diseases and illnesses.