Common Lab Tests

Lab Testing in North Central Arkansas and South Central Missouri

Common Tests Include:

• Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
• Lipid Profile
• Thyroid Test(s)
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) with or without White Blood Cell (WBC) Differential
• Prothrombin Time (PT) with INR & Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)
• Urinalysis (UA)

Basic Metabolic Panel

The BMP may be part of a blood work-up for a medical exam or a yearly physical. It measures:

• How well your kidneys are working
• Electrolytes to check your fluid balance
• Your blood sugar or Glucose level to check for diabetes
• Calcium for your bone health
• Risk of disease complications or side effects of drugs

The BMP includes:

• Glucose
• Calcium
• Electrolytes
  • Sodium
  • Potassium
  • Chloride
  • CO2
• Kidney Tests
  • Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
  • Creatinine

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood. Please fast before this test.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

The CMP is a larger panel of tests that may be part of a blood work-up for a medical exam or a yearly physical. A CMP includes tests that measure:

• How well your kidneys & liver are working
• Electrolytes to check your fluid balance
• Glucose to check for diabetes
• Calcium & other minerals
• Blood Proteins
• Risk of disease complications or side effects of drugs

The CMP includes:

• Tests in the BMP plus
• Proteins
  • Albumin
  • Total Protein
• Liver Tests
  • Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
  • Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
  • Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
  • Bilirubin

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood. This test should be fasting.

Lipid Panel

These tests help your provider decide if you are at risk of developing heart disease. He or she will consider the results along with other known risk factors to develop a plan of treatment & follow-up care. The panel includes:

• Triglycerides
• Cholesterol
• HDL Cholesterol (“Good” Cholesterol)
• LDL Cholesterol (“Bad” Cholesterol)
• HDL/Cholesterol ratio or risk score based on test results, age, sex & other risk factors

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood. To make sure your test results are meaningful to your care, do not eat or drink anything except for small amounts of water for 10-12 hours before the test.

Thyroid Function Tests

Thyroid Function Tests check the thyroid gland located in the front of the neck below your Adam’s apple. This gland makes hormones that play an important role in regulating your body’s metabolism. The tests also used to monitor patients who are taking hormone replacement medicine.

Thyroid Function tests include:

• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
• Free or Total T4
• Free or Total T3

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood.

Complete Blood Count (CBC) & White Blood Cell (WBC) Differential

A CBC with or without a WBC differential is often done as part of a routine medical exam. The test measures the types & numbers of:

• White Blood Cells (WBC’s) for fighting infections
• Red Blood Cells (RBC’s) for carrying oxygen throughout your body
• Platelets for stopping minor bleeding

CBC is used to:

• Check for anemia or blood loss
• Diagnose infections (bacterial & viral)
• Detect diseases like leukemia and sickle cell
• Check the response to some types of drug or radiation treatment
• Monitor the health of patients receiving chemotherapy

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood. Ask your provider or the Laboratory if you need to do anything special for this test.

Prothrombin Time (PT) with INR & Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

This test helps measure the ability of your blood to form a healthy clot:

• Make sure your anti-coagulant or “blood thinning” medicine is at the correct level
• Check for some bleeding disorders (such as hemophilia) that run in families
• Make sure your hemostatic health (the ability of your blood to form a clot) is sufficient before having surgery
• Check for other problems such as liver disease or a need for vitamins

What INR means: The International Normalized Ratio (INR) helps standardize PT results from one Laboratory to the next. This is important when you need your test performed when you travel.

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your blood will be taken. Ask your provider or the Laboratory if you need to do anything special for this test.

Urinalysis (UA)

This test may be ordered as part of a wellness exam, if you have symptoms of frequency or burning during urination or as part of a metabolic workup. It can detect metabolic & kidney disorders as well as urinary tract infections.

UA Measures:

• Acidity of your urine (pH)
• Concentration of your urine (specific gravity)
• Presence of red or white blood cells
• Bacteria or yeast
• Crystals or casts
• Sugar, protein, bilirubin

What Is Needed From You: A small sample of your urine will be collected using the clean catch method. The Lab professional will explain this process at the time of collection. If you have questions, please ask them before you collect the sample.