A medical test is a kind of medical procedure performed to detect, diagnose, or evaluate disease, disease processes, susceptibility, and determine a course of treatment. A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the care of patients used by medical or paramedical personnel Screening, in medicine is a strategy used in a Population to detect a Disease in individuals without signs or Symptoms of that disease Diagnosis is the identification by Process of elimination, of the nature of anything A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly

X-ray of a hand. X-rays are a common medical test.

Types of tests

Diagnostic

A diagnostic test is a procedure performed to confirm, or determine the presence of disease in an individual suspected of having the disease, usually following the report of symptoms, or based on the results of other medical tests. A diagnostic test is any kind of Medical test performed to aid in the Diagnosis or detection of disease ^[1][2] Such tests include:

• Utilizing nuclear medicine techniques to examine a patient having a lymphoma

lung scintigraphy during lung cancer diagnostic

• Measuring the blood sugar in a person suspected of having diabetes mellitus, after periods of increased urination. Nuclear medicine is a branch of Medicine and Medical imaging that uses the nuclear properties of matter in diagnosis and therapy Blood sugar, used in a physiological context is a misnomer and misleading Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, and more rarely emiction, is the process of disposing Urine from the Urinary bladder

• Taking a complete blood count of an individual experiencing a high fever, to check for a bacterial infection. A complete blood count ( CBC) also known as full blood count ( FBC) or full blood exam ( FBE) or blood panel, is Fever (also known as pyrexia, from the Greek pyretos meaning fire or a febrile response, from the Latin word Febris An infection is the detrimental Colonization of a host Organism by a foreign Species. ^[1]

• Monitoring electrocardiogram readings on a patient suffering chest pain, to diagnose or determine any heart irregularities. In Medicine, chest pain is a Symptom of a number of serious conditions and is generally considered a Medical emergency. The heart is a muscular organ in all Vertebrates responsible for pumping Blood through the Blood vessels by repeated rhythmic [1]

Screening

A screening is a medical test or series used to detect or predict the presence of disease in individuals at risk for disease within a defined group, such as a population, family, or workforce. Screening, in medicine is a strategy used in a Population to detect a Disease in individuals without signs or Symptoms of that disease ^{[3] [4]} Screenings may be performed to monitor disease prevalence, manage epidemiology, aid in prevention, or strictly for statistical purposes. ^[5]

Examples of screenings include measuring the level of TSH in the blood of a newborn infant as part of newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism,^[6], checking for Lung cancer in non-smoking individuals who are exposed to second-hand smoke in an unregulated working environment, and Pap smear screening for prevention or early detection of cervical cancer. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (also known as TSH or thyrotropin) is a Peptide hormone synthesized and secreted by Thyrotrope cells in the Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products Newborn screening is the process of testing newborn babies for treatable genetic, endocrinologic, metabolic and hematologic diseases Congenital hypothyroidism (CHT is a condition of Thyroid Hormone deficiency present at birth Lung cancer is a Disease of uncontrolled Cell growth in tissues of the Lung. The Papanicolaou test (also called Pap smear, Pap test, cervical smear, or smear test) is a screening test used in Gynecology Cervical cancer is Malignant Cancer of the Cervix uteri or cervical area

Evaluation

Some medical tests are used to evaluate the progress of, or response to medical treatment. Therapy (in Greek: θεραπεία) or treatment, is the attempted Remediation of a health problem usually following a Diagnosis They are also used to monitor the course (prognosis) of a disease. Prognosis (older Greek πρόγνωσις modern Greek πρόγνωση - literally fore-knowing foreseeing) is a medical term denoting the ^[7]

Examples of this may include analyzing the arterial blood gasses of an individual, after chest x-rays confirm the presence of a pneumothorax; or, performing a biopsy of a removed tumor to determine the degree of malignancy. An arterial blood gas ( ABG) is a Blood test that is performed specifically on Blood from an Artery. X-radiation (composed of X-rays) is a form of Electromagnetic radiation. A biopsy (in Greek: βίος life and όψη look/appearance is a Medical test involving the removal of cells or tissues See also Cancer A tumor or tumour is the name for a swelling or lesion formed by an abnormal growth of cells (termed neoplastic Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled

Risks

Some medical testing procedures have health risks, and even require general anesthesia, such as the mediastinoscopy. In modern medical practice general anaesthesia ( AmE: anesthesia) is a state of total unconsciousness resulting from General anaesthetic drugs Mediastinoscopy is a surgical procedure that enables visualization of the contents of the Mediastinum, usually for the purpose of obtaining a Biopsy. [2] Other tests, such as the blood test or pap smear have little to no direct risks. A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a Blood sample that is usually extracted from a Vein in the arm using a needle, or via The Papanicolaou test (also called Pap smear, Pap test, cervical smear, or smear test) is a screening test used in Gynecology [3] Medical tests may also have indirect risks, such as the stress of testing, and riskier tests may be required as follow-up for a (potentially) false positive test result. Screening, in medicine is a strategy used in a Population to detect a Disease in individuals without signs or Symptoms of that disease Consult the physician prescribing any test for further information.

See also

• Screening (medicine)
• Diagnostic testing
• Diagnostic test
• Genetic testing

• Blood test
• X-rays
• Blood culture
• MRI
• CAT scan

References