Dayton General Hospital Laboratory

Monday through Friday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm. Phone (509)382-3201

 

Test Directory:  Commonly Ordered Tests

Physicians often use lab tests to diagnose their patients.  The following is a list of some of most commonly ordered tests: 

Chemistry Profile:
A "chemistry profile" is a broad term used to describe the many tests that measure the body's chemical components.  Some common chemistry profiles are CMP, BMP, Lipid, Renal, Thyroid, and Hepatic.

Complete Blood Count (CBC):
A CBC is used to evaluate the patient's white blood cell count (WBC), their red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelet count.  The CBC also lets the doctor know what kind of WBC are present, which can determine if the patient has a viral or bacterial illness.  Platelets are small cells responsible for beginning the coagulation process.  Hemoglobin and hematocrit are found in RBC and indicate what the body's iron stores are and the body's ability to carry oxygen.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP):
A CMP is the most inclusive of the of the chemistry panels.  This panel screens for electrolytes, glucose, liver and kidney enzymes.  Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining the body's natural chemical balance.  The liver and kidney are important organs in nutrition and blood purification. 

Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP):
BMP includes electrolytes, BUN, Creatinine, Glucose, and it is a quick assessment of ionic balance.  Kidney function and glucose levels are important in diabetes monitoring.

Lipid Panel:
The lipid panel includes triglycerides and cholesterol levels.  Both the "good" cholesterol (HDL) and the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) are measured.  These levels are used to calculate a risk factor for preventable heart disease and stroke.

Renal Panel:
The renal panel is used to assess basic kidney function.

Hepatic Panel:
The hepatic panel is used to asses liver function.  The liver plays a number of critical roles in human metabolism, including removing wastes from the blood and producing bile, a fluid important in digestion.

Thyroid Panel:
Routine thyroid panels include three thyroid markers Total T4, T3 Uptake and TSH.  These Three tests are used to determine is a patient is in hyper (overactive) or hypo (underactive) thyroid.  Once a diagnosis is established, the TSH test is used to monitor a patient's thyroid therapy.

Protime and INR (International Normalized Ratio):
Physicians use protime and INR to monitor a patient's anticoagulant (coumadin, warfarin) therapy.  The INR is a calculation that tells the physician whether a patient's medication should be increased, decreased or remain the same.  The INR is used in all laboratories and allows the coumadin patient to travel and have their protime tested anywhere.

Glycohemoglobin (HgbA1C):
HgbA1C is a measure of the amount of glucose bonded to the hemoglobin molecule in a person's blood stream. It provides an assessment of how well a diabetic patient has been in dietary "control" over a 3-month period.

Prostate Specific Antigen:
PSA is normally produced in small amounts by a man's prostate gland.  An abnormally high level of PSA in the blood can be a sign of prostate cancer.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone:
TSH is an important hormone in controlling the function of your thyroid gland.  Abnormally high or low levels of TSH can be a sign of thyroid disease.

Iron:
Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein which allows your blood to deliver oxygen to your body.  A low iron level can lead to anemia and may be a sign of abnormal bleeding.