Pathology is an area of medicine that determines the nature and cause of diseases by testing and examining body tissues. From pap smears and biopsies to testing of bodily fluids like urine and blood, these pathology test results can help physicians treat and diagnose patients correctly. These tests ate typically done in a physician’s office and then sent to a customized laboratory for processing. Our experts offer this list of standard tests that everyone should undergo to continue having a healthy lifestyle.
A pap smear effectively finds pre-cancerous changes in a woman's cervix and is recommended for all sexually active women over the age of 21. You should do this test yearly to detect issues early and avoid serious illnesses.
This test is used to diagnose specific types of cancers, anemia, infections, and other important diseases and disorders. This test is especially critical for women of Indian descent because they often suffer from anemia and iron deficiency and require supplements to stay healthy. Therefore, CBC tests are recommended to be repeated yearly, even if last year's CBC was normal.
A vitamin D deficiency is a common condition that increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone loss in later years of life, among many other complications.
This test requires a fasting period of 12 hours to help detect diabetes. In cases of diabetes or pre-diabetes, additional tests can indicate the average blood sugar level over the previous three-month period. If your test reading is normal, annual testing is recommended by a physician.
These necessary blood tests help to detect overactive thyroids or underactive thyroids. Yearly testing is recommended when your test has normal findings.
This test is an effective indicator of a healthy heart. The blood test measures levels of HDL and LDL, as well as triglycerides and total cholesterol levels. Doctors recommend that people who have regular test readings continue to test every other year.
This test is critical to ensure that you do not have a high reading of serum creatine that can indicate your kidney functioning is impaired.
This test is recommended annually to screen for liver conditions like hepatitis B or C, fatty liver, or alcohol-induced liver damage.
This test checks for the presence of blood, proteins, and sugar in your urine. It is especially critical for smokers who have a high risk of developing bladder cancer. In addition, the results of this test can indicate whether you have kidney disease and other conditions and are recommended yearly if your report comes back normal.
Every customized laboratory report should be reviewed by an experienced physician because depending on your overall health condition, what is normal for you may not be typical for someone else. In addition, it is crucial to remember that disease prevention and awareness through pathology tests can help you avoid health disorders and diseases in the future.