Common medical tests

[Michiko]

A large number of tests are widely available. Many tests are specialized for a particular disorder or group of related disorders (which are usually described with the appropriate disorders in this book). Other tests are commonly used for a wide range of disorders.

Tests are done for a variety of reasons, including

• Screening
• Diagnosing a disorder
• Evaluating the severity of a disorder so that treatment can be planned
• Monitoring the response to treatment

Sometimes a test is used for more than one purpose. A blood test may show that a person has too few red blood cells (anemia). The same test may be repeated after treatment to determine whether the number of red blood cells has returned to normal. Sometimes a disorder can be treated at the same time a screening or diagnostic test is done. For example, when colonoscopy (examination of the inside of the large intestine with a flexible viewing tube) detects growths (polyps), they can be removed before colonoscopy is completed.