diagnostic techniques

Question 1

reasons for requesting laboratory investigations

Answer 1

must only request a lab test if you have a clinical question 
screening
diagnosis
monitoring 
prognosis
inform a clinical decision

Question 2

screening

Answer 2

detection of sub clinical disease- asymptomatic, early stages etc
NHS- breast, cervical, bowel (colorectal)

Question 3

diagnosis

Answer 3

confirmation or rejection of clinical diagnosis
renal failure- urine test- urea conc
lung cancer- biopsy

Question 4

monitoring

Answer 4

natural history or response to treatment 
measure CPR (produced by the body when there is an infection)

Question 5

prognosis

Answer 5

prediction of course or outcome of disease

tumour biomarkers

Question 6

lab medicine specialties examples

Answer 6

genetics
toxicology 
molecular genetics 
immunology 
haematology

Question 7

what is POCT?

Answer 7

POCT is laboratory testing performed in the clinical setting by non-laboratory healthcare professionals
i.e blood glucose test or urine analysis