Diagnostic Tests

Physical exam

________: an art of observation that is systematic but with a routine, got to know your tools.

Ventricular flutter

________ can lead to V- fibrillation where theres no clear electrical activity.

Noninvasive Procedures

________: ENT /eye inspection, a neurological test of reflexes, urine test, throat swab, x- ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT, and ECG (does NOT break the skin)

Invasive Procedures

________: blood draws, spinal tap, biopsy, endoscopy (BREAKS the skin)

Ventricular Flutter

________- 250- 300 bpm, sinusoidal waves.

(Most important

is it an emergency or life-threatening), pt

Patient History

current or past medical history, family history, concurrent illnesses, alcohol, drugs, smoking, social issues, employment status, and any other important information

Physical exam

an art of observation that is systematic but with a routine, got to know your tools

Noninvasive Procedures

ENT/eye inspection, a neurological test of reflexes, urine test, throat swab, x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT, and ECG (does NOT break the skin)

Invasive Procedures

blood draws, spinal tap, biopsy, endoscopy (BREAKS the skin)

CBC

complete blood count + differential

CMP

(comprehensive metabolic panel) K, Na, Cl, Ca, blood urea, glucose, N (BUN), Liver enzymes (enz) (AST, ALT)

Plasma Proteins

albumin, enz, immunoglobulins (Igs)

Serological test

antibodies

Hormone

thyroid hormones

Disease Markers

heart attack, pancreatitis, liver disease, renal disease

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

only useful in myeloma, temporal arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica

Urine

Protein, microorganisms, blood

Stool

blood, parasites, fats

CSF

cells, proteins, microorganisms

High Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

erythrocytosis or polycythemia

Low RBCs

anemia or erythroblastopenia

High White blood cells (WBCs)

leukocytosis (a sign of infection)

Low WBCs

Leukopenia

High lymphocytes

lymphocytosis

Low lymphocytes

lymphocytopenia (a sign of cancer or HIV)

Cytosis

high

Penia

low

P wave

atrial depolarization (SA node)

QRS complex

Ventricular depolarization (V-contracts)

T wave

Ventricular Repolarization

Ventricular Flutter

250-300 bpm, sinusoidal waves

CBC

complete blood count + differential

CMP

(comprehensive metabolic panel) K, Na, Cl, Ca, blood urea, glucose, N (BUN), Liver enzymes (enz) (AST, ALT)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

only useful in myeloma, temporal arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica

Urine

Protein, microorganisms, blood

High Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

erythrocytosis or polycythemia

Low RBCs

anemia or erythroblastopenia

High White blood cells (WBCs)

leukocytosis (a sign of infection)

Low WBCs

Leukopenia

High lymphocytes

lymphocytosis

Low lymphocytes

lymphocytopenia (a sign of cancer or HIV)

Cytosis/philia

high

Penia

low

EEG

electrical activity of the brain used to detect seizures and brain activity after trauma

EMG

electrical activity of the muscles used to detect neurological conditions

EKG, ECG

Electrical activity of the heart

Sinoatrial Node

before the Atrioventricular Node.

Fast Heart rates (tachycardia)

leave no time for a proper refill of the heart.

P wave

atrial depolarization (SA node)

QRS complex

Ventricular depolarization (V

T wave

Ventricular Repolarization

X-rays

Go through tissues, but not bones and metal, are electromagnetic radiation identical to light but have a much shorter wavelength, and the radioactivity used to be measured in rem (Roentgen Equivalent in Man).

CT

uses a motorized scanner that circles around patients and obtains many serial x-ray images that are then compiled into a 3-D image. Reveals much more than an X-ray

Individual _____ use lower intensity X-rays but have higher radioactivity (more X-ray exposure).

Can be enhanced with contrast (this is invasive)

Nuclear Medicine

patients are injected with radioactive material (usually iodine) that is enriched in areas of highest activity

Can be therapeutic in cancer treatment

MRI

uses strong magnetic and radiowave fields (no metal in the room) and is very noisy (patients are provided with ear plugs/headphones).

Is superior for imaging soft tissues which can be “weighted” based on the structure that they could enhance based on RF pulse.

T1

1 tissue is bright (fat), Anatomy

T2

2 tissues are bright (fat, water), pathology

PET (Position Emission Tomography)

injection of radioactive materials, and uses gamma rays

Ultrasound

uses a transducer to generate high‐frequency sound
waves (>20,000 Hz) to detect tissues in the body. These soundwaves generate echo's that are reflected back differently to the transducer because tissues in the body have different densities. Can be used for many human conditions
(heart conditions, blood vessels, internal organs, etc.) and is painless and works through the skin.

Biopsy

preformed to obtain tissues for histological examination (breast, bone marrow, etc.)

Histology

examination of TISSUE with the microscope, the tissue is intact and morphology is preserved

Cytology

Cells recovered by various means, SINGLE CELLS are usually recovered and tissue structure is not preserved. (Pap smear, etc). Less invasive than a biopsy.

Hematoxylin

is a basic dye and stains nucleic acid in the cell nucleus blue

Eosin

(acidic) stains the cytoplasm reddish/pink.

PAS (periodic acid Schiff) staining

Detection of glycogen in liver or muscle. Fungi also stain positive.

Masson’s Trichrome

staining collagen (for example liver cirrhosis)