What are medical testing laboratories, and what do they do?
As our understanding of clinical chemistry advances, so too does our ability to test for the markers of disease and bodily imbalance. Laboratories - Testing (also known as clinical laboratories) are laboratories which have all the necessary equipment and staff to perform clinical pathology testing on patient specimens. Diagnosticians use medical tests and/or diagnostic test kits to detect conditions, determine diagnosis and treatment plans, and monitor the prognosis of the patient before, during, and after treatment. They are an invaluable tool in modern medicine, as they provide empirical evidence for diagnoses and can be utilized routinely to ensure that chronic conditions remain under control.
Medical testing labs vary based on what tests they perform. They are by no means a homogenous group, as there are dozens of different tests that can be administered in numerous mediums, all requiring different equipment and levels of expertise. Some labs are based in hospitals, clinics, universities, non-profits, or are commercially separate companies; however, a commonality across all clinical labs is that they require patient samples on which to perform tests (otherwise they would be classified as labs which work on non-clinical specimens, requiring different regulations). Below is a simplified list of common medical tests performed in clinical testing labs, but know this list is not exhaustive:
Blood- blood tests are vital to understanding a patient’s health, as blood contains many useful biomarkers such as cell counts, blood chemistry information, and inflammatory and genetic markers. Blood is drawn and then shipped in chilled vials to testing labs, where centrifuges and other equipment separate out the different components of blood, which are then analyzed.
Urine- Obtaining urine samples is less invasive and costly than other medical tests, and still provides a wealth of information quickly. Urinalysis tests break down the components of a person’s urine to check for drug use, blood, levels of protein & minerals, and to check for the presence of bacteria, pathogens, of glucose.
Stool- Like urine tests, stool tests are non-invasive and easy to perform, but are called for when digestive problems arise. Stool tests are useful in determining gastrointestinal issues such as bacterial/viral infections, or markers of other gastrointestinal diseases.
Bodily fluids- saliva, mucus, semen, and other bodily fluids are also useful in medical testing, but require different equipment and procedures based on the bodily fluid being analyzed. Some of these tests are non-invasive, requiring only a swab or a sample, but other specimens such as the internal bodily fluids of the pericardium, pleural fluids, and cerebrospinal fluids must be obtained via a needle.
Tissue- tissue samples, obtained from external or internal biopsies, are taken to labs to perform tissue analysis (tissue analysis can also be done via the blood, which interacts with all tissues of the human body, but these still remain under the “blood test” umbrella). Biopsies are common in cancer treatment, where a doctor will remove tumor tissue to observe its makeup, which can be remarkably useful in diagnosis and treatment. Tissue tests are often the most invasive medical tests, involving specialized equipment and surgeons to excise the desired tissues.
Regardless of the type of tests, modern medical laboratories are held under strict regulations to ensure efficacy, patient privacy, and technical certifications to provide quality clinical data. All laboratories, and especially laboratories that perform medical testing for profit, must act in accordance with regulatory bodies such as the FDA, CMS, CDC, and other agencies to remain in good standing. For source info, click here.
Below is the list of LABORATORY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES used in Laboratories for testing:
ASTM USED FOR MATERIAL TESTING
SSC
SWC
X-RAYS
AGGREGATES
ASPHALT
BENDING
CEMENT
CHEMICAL
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMPRESSION MACHINES
CONCRETE
CONDUCTIVITY TESTS IN ADDITION TO GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION & STUDIES
CORROSION TESTS - HUEY
CREVICE HIC
CROSS HOLE ULTRASONIC MONITORS
DYE PENETRANT TESTING
ELECTRICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING INSTRUMENTS
ETC
FINAL VISUAL & DIMENSIONAL EXAMINATION
FLATTENING & FLARING TESTS
HARDNESS TESTS
IMPACT TESTS
LABORATORY WARES
MAGNETIC PARTICLE EXAMINATION
MATERIAL TESTING EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL
METALLOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION
PHYSICAL
PILE ECHO TESTERS
PITTING
PORTLAND CEMENT
PROCESS HEATING
PROVIDES MATERIAL TESTING SERVICES SUCH AS AGGREGATE
ROCK
SILICA SAND
SOIL
SOILS
STEEL
STEEL / ESTABLISHMENT OF ON-SITE LABORATORIES
STRAUSS
TENSILE MACHINES
TENSILE TESTS
TESTING OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS INCLUDING CONCRETE
THERMAL RESISTIVITY
ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES
WATER
GC
ICPMS
UV - LAB EQUIPMENT
Analytical Balances & Equipment
Centrifuges
CHROMATOGRAPHY INSTRUMENTS
FILTER PAPER
GLOVE BOX
Lab / Research Equipment & Services
Lab / Research Microscopes
Lab / Research Refrigerators
LAB CHEMICALS
Lab Co2 Incubators
LAB CONSUMABLES
Lab Devices
Lab Equipment
Lab Equipment / Instrument & Accessories
LAB EQUIPMENT / INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES
Lab Equipment / Supplies
Lab Furniture
LAB GLASSWARE
Lab Instruments / Supplies
LAB SUPPLIES
LABORATORY CHEMICALS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LABORATORY GLASSWARE
LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (LIMS)
LABORATORY WARES
Medical / Lab Gas Regulators & Manifolds
Microscopes
THERMAL ANALYSIS INSTRUMENTS