Glossary
| (A:G) RATIO AKA ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO | This is a blood test to measure the levels of protein in your body and it provides information about the amount of albumin you have compared with globulin. This comparison is called the A/G ratio. |
| A1c | A1C is a blood test that shows average blood sugar (glucose) levels over the last 3 months. |
| ABO | ABO is blood type testing finds out if you have blood type A, AB, B, B or O. |
| ACHR BINDING ABS | Testing measures Acetylcholine receptor antibody in your blood. Acetylcholine is a chemical that works with nerves to help muscles contract. |
| AFP | Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein present in your blood when you are pregnant. The AFP protein is made by your fetus' liver. |
| ALBUMIN | Albumin is a protein made by the liver. |
| ALT/SGPT | ALT, formerly called SGPT, is mostly found in your liver cells. When liver cells are injured, they release this enzyme into your blood. High levels are a sign of liver damage. |
| ANEMIA | Anemia is a condition that affects the number of red blood cells in your body. A number of diseases and conditions can cause anemia. |
| ANTIBODY | Your immune system makes antibodies to fight virus and disease. |
| ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES | This blood test is done to help your healthcare provider find out if you have an autoimmune disease. This kind of disease happens when your immune system attacks your normal cells. |
| ARTHRITIS / INFLAMATION | Arthritis is a group of more than 100 diseases that causes joint swelling (inflammation) and joint stiffness. |
| AST/SGOT | Aspartate transaminase (AST) is an enzyme that is released when your liver or muscles are damaged. |
| BILIRUBIN | The liver makes bile to help you digest food, and bile contains bilirubin. A healthy liver can get rid of bilirubin but when you have liver problems, bilirubin can reach unhealthy levels. |
| BUN | A blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test measures the amount of urea nitrogen found in your blood. BUN levels help determine how well your kidneys are working. |
| CAROTENE, BETA | Beta-carotene is a type of substance called a carotenoid. Beta-carotene is a provitamin. This means it's used by your body to make vitamin A. |
| CBC | The complete blood count (CBC) is a blood test used to screen your overall health and to look for many different illnesses. |
| CHOLESTEROL | Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy substance that can be found in all parts of your body. It helps make cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D. |
| CK | Creatine kinase (CK) is a type of protein. The muscle cells in your body need CK to function. Levels of CK can rise after a heart attack, skeletal muscle injury, or strenuous exercise. |
| CMP | Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. Your body gets energy from food through a process called metabolism. The tests in this panel help see how well the 2 major organs involved in metabolism, your liver and kidneys, are working. |
| COENZYME Q10 | Coenzyme Q-10 is a fat-soluble type of substance called a quinone. Coenzyme Q-10 is a powerful antioxidant. Levels of coenzyme Q-10 decrease with age and they’re also low in people with heart disease. |
| C-PEPTIDE | This test looks at how well your body makes the hormone insulin. It's used to help diagnose blood sugar disorders. |
| CREATININE RATIO | Creatinine is a waste product that your body makes when you use your muscles or when your body digests meat. Healthy kidneys remove creatinine from the blood, and it leaves the body in the urine. |
| CRP or C-REACTIVE PROTEIN | The C-reactive protein (CRP) test is used to find inflammation in your body. |
| D25-HYDROXY | Vitamin D. This vitamin plays many roles in the body but it is particularly important for bone health. |
| DHEA | DHEA is a hormone made by your adrenal glands. Some DHEA is also made by the ovaries and testes. DHEA is changed into DHEA-S in your adrenal glands and liver. |
| eGFR CALCULATION | Estimated glomerular filtration rate. Kidneys have tiny filters called glomeruli that help remove waste from the blood. Testing GFR, creatinine and serum systatin C plus other factors such as weight and age calculate the eGFR. |
| ESTRADIOL | Estradiol is the form of estrogen made mainly by the ovaries. |
| ESTROGEN | There are 3 types of estrogen: estrone, estradiol, and estriol. They impact the sexual and reproductive development in females. |
| FERRITIN | Ferritin is a protein that stores the iron red blood cells need to form normally and carry oxygen around the body. Testing ferritin levels measure how much iron is in your blood. |
| FOLATES | Folate is the natural form of vitamin B-9. Folate is needed to make red blood cells, repair cells and make DNA. |
| FREE THYROXINE INDEX | Measurement of the level of the hormone thyroxine (T4) in your blood. The hormone is made by your thyroid gland. |
| GASTROINTESTINAL | Gastrointestinal includes the digestive tract, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine. |
| GGT | This test checks the level of the enzyme gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in your blood. GGT is found in many organs with highest levels in liver cells. This test helps identify possible damage to your liver or problems with the liver ducts or gallbladder. |
| GLOBULIN | Globulins are a group of proteins in your blood. |
| GLUCOSE | Glucose is blood sugar and testing finds if levels are within a healthy range. Typically your kidneys get rid of extra glucose in your urine if your blood glucose rises above normal. |
| HA1c | Hemoglobin A1c shows average blood sugar levels over the last 3 months. |
| HBsAg | Hepatitis B Surface Antigen testing is used to find out if you have a recent or chronic (on-going) infection from the hepatitis B virus (HBV). |
| HCV | Hepatitis C virus infects the liver, often causing inflammation and damage. |
| HDL | HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol moves cholesterol out of your arteries. HDL is also known as the "good" cholesterol. |
| HELICOBACTER PYLORI ANTIBODIES | H. pylori are bacteria that can attack the stomach lining. |
| HEMATOCRIT | Hematocrit means to separate blood. This will test how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells. Normal blood contains white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. |
| HEMOGLOBIN (Hb) | Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of the body. |
| HGH | Human growth hormone is needed to stimulate growth of bone and other tissues. |
| HIV-1/HIV-2 | Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV antibody and HIV antigen testing looks for HIV infection in your blood or saliva. |
| HOMOCYSTINE | Homocysteine is a type of amino acid naturally made by the body. At high levels, it can damage the lining of arteries and it can encourage blood clotting putting you at risk for heart attacks, blood clots and strokes. |
| HSV | Herpes simplex virus (HSV) testing is the best method to diagnose a current or recurrence of a previous infection. |
| IGA | IgA is an antibody blood protein that is part of the immune system. The body makes IgA and other types of antibodies to help fight off sickness. |
| IGF-1 | IGF-1 is a hormone found naturally in your blood. Its main job is to manage the effects of growth hormone (GH) in your body. |
| IgG | IgG (immunoglobin G) is the most abundant antibody in the blood. It helps prevent infections. |
| IGM I/II | IgM are antibodies in the blood. IgM antibodies are present during an active case of Hepatitis B (HBV). |
| IMMUNITY | Immunity is the state of being resistant to a particular infectious disease. |
| INFECTIOUS DISEASE | Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs (such as bacteria and viruses) that enter the body and can cause an infection. |
| INR | The International Normalized Ratio test looks to see how well your blood clots. |
| IRON BINDING CAPACITY | The iron-binding capacity test measures the amount of iron in your blood and looks at how well iron moves through your body. |
| KETONES | Ketones are chemicals made from the breakdown of body fat. A healthy persons body with a normal diet typically does not make or need to make ketones. |
| LC/MS | Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) is an analytical technique used for separation and identification of molocule properties. |
| LDL | Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol because it causes plaque to build up and leads to heart disease. |
| LEUKOCYTE | White blood cells are also called leukocyte. |
| LIPASE | Lipase is an enzyme that is made by your pancreas. It helps your body digest fats. |
| LIPID | Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, or fats. A lipid test measures the amount of cholesterol and other fats in your blood. |
| MCH | Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) testing measures how much hemoglobin your red blood cells have. |
| MCHC | MCHC is a measurement of the amount of hemoglobin a red blood cell has relative to the size of the cell. |
| MCV | Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) measures the average size of your red blood cells. |
| MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF URINE SEDIMENT | This test looks at a sample of your urine under a microscope. |
| NITRITE | Nitrite is a type of nitrogen chemical. The presence could cause changes in hemoglobin and how it moves oxygen through the body. |
| OCCULT BLOOD | Testing checks for hidden blood in the stool that can't be seen with the naked eye. |
| pH | pH (potential hydrogen) measures acidity of a solution. |
| PLASMA | Plasma is the fluid portion of your blood. |
| PRA | Plasma Renin Activity helps to identify potential donors. |
| PROGESTERONE | Progesterone is a naturally occurring hormone that plays an important role in the female reproductive system. |
| PROLACTIN | Prolactin is a hormone made by the pituitary gland, which is in the brain. |
| PSA | Prostate-Specific Antigen is a protein made by prostate cells. High levels could indicate disease. |
| QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus | This test is a more accurate and specific test for TB than skin tests. |
| RBC | RBC is a count of Red Blood Cells. |
| RDW | Red Cell Distribution Width is a determination of how the size of the red blood cells vary. |
| RETICULOCYTE COUNT | Reticulocytes are red blood cells that are still developing. |
| RF | Rheumatoid Factors are proteins made by your immune system that can attack healthy tissue in the body. |
| RH TYPING | Rh Typing is used to find out if the Rh factor protein is on the outer layer of red blood cells. |
| RNA | Testing allows for infectious detection by nucleic acid. |
| RPR | Rapid Plasma Reagin is a blood test that looks for antibodies to syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection. |
| SEDIMENTATION RATE | Testing measures how quickly red blood cells separate from a blood sample. This checks for inflammation in the body. |
| SERUM | Serum is the protein-rich fluid that remains when blood coagulates. |
| SPECIFIC GRAVITY | Specific gravity testing compares the density of urine with the density of water to help identify dehydration or kidney problems. |
| T4 | T4 testing shows how well the thyroid is working. |
| TESTOSTERONE | Testosterone is the main sex hormone in males; however, both genders have this hormone. |
| THBR | Thyroid Hormone-Binding Ratio estimates the level of proteins that carry thyroid hormone in the blood. |
| TREPONEMA PALLIDUM | Treponema Pallidum is the organism that causes syphilis. |
| TRIGLYCERIDES | Triglycerides are a type of fat called lipids. They are the most common type of fat in the body. |
| TSH | TSH measures the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone in the body. |
| UA | Urinalysis (UA) is a set of diagnostic tests performed on urine. |
| URIC ACID | Uric Acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. |
| UROBILINOGEN | Urobilinogen is a by-product of bilirubin produced when old red blood cells break down. |
| VLDL | Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol is produced in the liver. |
| WBC | White Blood Cells (WBC) are part of your immune system that protects your body from infection. |
| WHOLE BLOOD | Whole blood is blood with all its components intact as it has been drawn from a donor. |
| WITH DIFFERENTIAL AND PLATELET COUNT | Method applied during a Complete Blood Count test to help count cells and measure the level of different substances in the bloodstream. |
