Most Common Labs

What type of test is the “Lupus Band Test”?

Which of the following isn’t an important consideration with regard to processing direct immunofluorescence (DIF) specimens?

Which of the following isn’t something which is evaluated on a CBC?

A patient comes in today at 4 PM for evaluation of acne.  After discussion with your supervising physician, it’s clear that he is likely going to start Isotretinoin.  He’s given a lab slip and is asked to get baseline labs (CBC, Lipid Panel, and Hepatic Function Panel) performed prior to his next visit.  As he’s leaving the room, he tells you that he is “heading over to the lab right now”.

What, if anything, would be an issue with him having labs performed today?

Your supervising physician tells a patient that he “needs to have his liver enzymes checked” before starting Methotrexate.  Which lab test would do this?

A “Comprehensive Metabolic Panel” includes the measurement of liver enzymes.

Which of the following tests would help us to know that a patient’s kidneys are functioning properly?

Your supervising physician counsels a patient today about the various Psoriasis treatments available.  Ultimately, she and the patient decide to seek approval for Stelara.  Your SP asks you to prepare a lab slip for the patient.

Which of the following is your SP referring to when she says “we need to check his liver enzymes and screen for hepatitis”?

The pregnancy test which simply indicates whether or not a patient is pregnant (and not “how far along”) is the _______ hCG.

The culture which tests for bacteria that thrive in “low oxygen” environments is the ________ bacterial culture.

A patient comes in today with a post-op wound infection.  Your supervising physician takes a culture of the wound and tells the patient that your office will “send the culture off and the lab will confirm that we’ve got you on the right antibiotic”.  He then asks you to write up the lab slip and make sure that it gets sent off today.

Based on what your SP described, which of the following tests should you request the lab to perform?

The potassium hydroxide which gives the “KOH prep” its name helps to dissolve keratin in the skin cells, thereby allowing for easier visualization of hyphae or other structures.

Your SP walks out of a room after taking a skin scraping.  He hands it to you and asks you to prepare it while he sees the next patient.  After it’s prepared, you focus the slide on the microscope and notice the image above.

What is it that you’re seeing?

Your supervising physician is seeing a patient who comes in a few times per year for monitoring of SCLE (a type of Lupus).  In reviewing her chart, your SP tells the patient that “it’s been a while since we’ve checked the ANA levels”.  She goes on to tell her that she will “want to make sure that her levels haven’t risen and will be ordering a repeat blood test today”.

As compared to a fungal culture, a “PAS stain” has the advantage of ___________.