How to understand your test results

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Lab test results can help you uncover your underlying health conditions. The correct reading of test results is also very important in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Wrong test results can confuse the diagnostic process and cause the doctor to make the wrong conclusion.

1. What is a lab test?

A laboratory test is a series of procedures such as taking a sample of blood, urine, fluids, or body tissues to obtain information about a patient's health. Certain laboratory tests are used to diagnose, screen, and monitor specific diseases or conditions. Physical exam tests can help your doctor evaluate the function of most organs and systems in your body.
Overall, lab test results play an extremely important role in your overall health care. However, they are not capable of providing a complete "picture" of health. Your doctor may ask you to take steps such as a physical exam, providing information about your medical history, tests, or other procedures in order to make an appropriate diagnosis and treatment decision.

2. Why do you need lab tests?

Lab tests can be used in a variety of ways. Your doctor may order one or more tests for you for the following purposes:
*Diagnose or rule out a specific disease or health condition: For example, an HPV test, which helps determine if whether you have an HPV infection or not.
*Screencing: Screening test results can show if you are at high risk for a particular disease. In addition, it also helps detect disease even when you have no obvious symptoms. For example, the Pap test is a type of screening test that helps detect cervical cancer.
*Monitoring or treating a disease: If you are diagnosed with a certain disease, lab tests can tell if your condition is getting better or worse. Furthermore, the test results also show whether your current treatment is working. For example, a blood glucose test can monitor and aid in the treatment of diabetes. Sometimes, it is also used to diagnose diabetes.
*General health check: General health exams are usually performed periodically. Your doctor may order a number of tests for different organs and systems in your body to check how they change over time. A physical exam also helps find health problems before symptoms appear. A complete blood count test is a routine test that measures different substances in your blood. It can give your doctor important information about your overall health as well as your risk for certain diseases.

3. Meaning of Lab Test Results

Lab test results are usually displayed as a set of numbers, called a reference range or normal value. You might see something like this on your test results: “Normal: 77 – 99 mg/dL). The reference range will be based on the normal test results of a group of healthy adults.
However, sometimes a healthy person can get results outside the reference range, while people with health problems have results within the normal range. If the results are out of the reference range or you are having symptoms even though the results are normal, your doctor may order additional tests.
Here's how to see the test results that you can refer to:
The result is negative or normal: No disease or abnormal signs found. Positive result: Indicates that you have a disease or an abnormality is found in the sample. Uncertainty: The test results are not informative enough to diagnose or rule out the disease. If you get inconclusive results, your doctor may order another test for you.

4. Correct understanding of false positives and false negatives

A false-positive result means that the test shows that you have a disease or condition, but in fact your health is completely normal. Conversely, a false-negative result means the test shows that even though you don't have the disease, there's actually something wrong with your body. These inaccurate test results are rare, unless the test was not done correctly.

5. What factors affect the test results?

There are many factors that can affect the accuracy of test results, including:
Certain foods or drinks that you consume before the test Take certain medications before the test Over-exercise Stress Some problems occurred during the experiment Sickness If you have any questions about the lab tests or what the test results mean, you can talk to them. discuss more details with your doctor.
Laboratory Department of Vinmec International General Hospital includes a full range of specialized fields: Biochemistry, Hematology - Blood Transfusion, Microbiology - Parasitology and Pathology with a team of qualified medical professionals, experienced to bring the most accurate diagnosis.
All tests are operated according to the standard testing procedures of the Ministry of Health, strict quality control.
Sampling, safe transport of test samples Ensure test quality Return results as soon as possible, actively support doctors for effective treatment Current semi-automatic combined automated testing equipment Modern and synchronous technology of famous and reputable firms in the field of testing in the world such as Beckman Coulter (USA), Roche (Switzerland):
Modern pneumatic system for transporting specimens and returning results by compressed air of Beckman - Coulter company (USA) avoids contamination, confusion of patient samples, and at the same time avoids the impact of the environment on patient samples, giving accurate test results with fast result return time. VITEK2 COMPACT Biormerieux automatic identification and antibiotic system for performing microbiological tests is the system of equipment being used at leading hospitals in Hanoi and Hai Phong. Pathology: The first BenchMark XT automatic in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry staining machine in Hai Phong identifies the origin and classifies different cancers to help accurately diagnose cancer types.

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Reference source: medlineplus.gov