L.4 Medical test Interpretation Flashcards
What is one of the roles of clinical laboratory?
Screening for diseases
Clinical laboratories perform various roles including screening to detect diseases early.
What is the purpose of diagnosis in clinical laboratory roles?
Identify the cause of symptoms and confirm or rule out a disease
An example is glucose measurement for diabetes.
What does monitoring refer to in a clinical laboratory context?
Track the progression of a disease or the effectiveness of treatment
An example is creatinine measurement (eGFR) for monitoring CKD.
What is the definition of prognosis in clinical laboratory roles?
Predict the likely outcome or progression of a disease
An example includes tumour marker measurement for cancer prognosis.
How does prevention relate to clinical laboratory services?
Assess risk factors and guide lifestyle changes or preventive treatment
Lipid (cholesterol) testing for CVD prevention is a relevant example.
What is screening in the context of clinical laboratories?
Application of laboratory techniques to healthy (asymptomatic) individuals to detect diseases before it becomes clinically apparent
An example is newborn screening for metabolic diseases.
What does Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM) focus on?
Making the most of any test data
EBLM uses best evidence to assist in decision making about individual patients.
True or False: The role of clinical laboratories includes investigation of substance abuse.
True
Clinical laboratories investigate substance abuse as part of their roles.
What role does clinical laboratory play in infectious disease epidemiology?
It assists in tracking and analyzing the spread of infectious diseases
This role is crucial for public health monitoring.
Fill in the blank: _______ is the process that helps guide treatment decisions based on laboratory results.
[Guidance for treatment]
Clinical labs provide essential data that informs treatment choices.
What is one application of laboratory medicine in teaching and research?
To educate and develop new methodologies or treatments
Clinical laboratories play a vital role in advancing medical knowledge.
What are reference ranges?
The range of values considered normal for a physiological measurement in a population with a defined health status
Reference ranges help clinicians interpret laboratory test results and assess health, disease, or risk of disease.
What percentage of the population typically has results within the reference range?
95%
This means that while most healthy individuals fall within this range, some may have values outside of it.
What percentage of the population will have results below the reference range?
2.5%
This reflects the possibility that a small portion of healthy individuals might fall below the normal range.
What percentage of the population will have results above the reference range?
2.5%
Similar to those below the range, this indicates that some healthy individuals may exceed the upper limit.
What factors can influence reference ranges?
- Age (neonatal/geriatric)
- Gender (muscle mass)
- Weight
- Diet
- Pregnancy
- Menstrual status
- Time of day
- Time of year (sun exposure)
These factors can affect physiological measurements and thus alter what is considered a normal range.
Why are reference ranges not appropriate for therapeutic drug monitoring?
Because the effective and safe dosage is specific for the patient and their reaction to the drug
This necessitates the use of a therapeutic range instead.
What is used instead of a ‘normal’ reference range in therapeutic drug monitoring?
A therapeutic range
This range aids in determining dosages that achieve the best effect without causing toxicity.
What are the sources of variation in the testing process?
- Biological variation
- Pre-analytical variation
- Analytical variation (smallest contributor)
- Post-analytical variation
Understanding these variations is crucial for accurate interpretation of laboratory results.
What is biological variation?
Variations due to natural physiological differences among individuals
Includes variations influenced by factors like age, sex, and genetics.
What is diurnal variation?
Natural fluctuations in biological processes over a 24-hour cycle, influenced by the body’s circadian rhythm
Examples include cortisol and testosterone levels.
How does age affect biological variation?
Certain enzymes, such as ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase), are higher in growing children
What role does sex play in biological variation?
Influences levels of hormones such as oestrogen
