Medical Laboratory Tests and Pathology: Key Definitions and Standards

2-hr PPBS

2-hour postprandial blood sugar

ANA

Antinuclear antibodies

aPTT

Activated partial thromboplastin time

BMP

Basic metabolic panel

BUN

Blood urea nitrogen

C&S

Culture & sensitivity

CAP

College of American Pathologists

CBC

Complete blood count

CK-MB

Create kinase-MB

CLIA '88

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988

CLSI

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute

CMP

Comprehensive metabolic panel

CT

Computed tomography

Diff

Differential

EDTA

Ethylenediaminetetraccetic acid

ESR

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

FBS

Fasting blood sugar

FDP

Fibrin degradation product

GTT

Glucose tolerance test

hCG

Human chorionic gonadotropin

HCT

Hematocrit

HDL

High-density lipoprotein

Hgb

Hemoglobin

HbA1C

Hemoglobin A1C

LDL

Low-density lipoprotein

MLS

Medical laboratory scientist

MLT

Medical laboratory technicians

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

MT

Medical technologists

Plt

Platelets

POL

Physician office laboratories

PT

Prothrombin time

RBC

Red blood cells

RPR

Rapid plasma reagin

SST

Serum separator tube

STAT

Short turnaround time

TDM

Therapeutic drug monitoring

WBC

White blood cells

Autologous

Donation of a patient's own blood for use at a later time.

Blood bank

Department that deals with blood for transfusions.

Blood type

Presence and type of antigens on the surface of red blood cells.

Centrifuge

Separation of components of a sample based on density by using a machine that spins a sample at a very high speed.

chemistry panel

Group of chemistry tests.

Clinical laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)

Nonprofit organization that sets standards and guidelines under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (formerly National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards).

Clinical laboratory Improvement Act '88

Federal law that mandated regulation of all facilities that performed patient testing.

Clinical pathology

One of two main branches of the clinical laboratory, responsible for analyzing blood and other body fluids.

Coagulation

Clotting.

College of American Pathologists

Accrediting agency; accreditation by CAPP is required for Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement.

Complete blood count

Automated test used to test for conditions that affect the number and ratio of cell types in the blood.

Culture and sensitivity test

Test to detect and identify microorganisms and to determine the most effective antibiotic therapy.

Flow cytometry

Analytic technique used to identify cellular markers on the surface of white blood cells.

Hemolyzed

Characteristics of a sample in which red blood cells have been broken.

Hemostasis

Process by which the body stops blood from leaking out of a wound.

Icteric

Related to jaundice.

Immunochemistry

Branch of biochemistry concerned with immune responses and systems; immunochemistry tests use antibodies to detect a range of substances in the blood.

Immunohematology

Studies blood group antigens, antibodies, and their interactions.

Joint Commission

Organization that sets standards regarding systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of patient care.

Lipemic

Related to increased fats in the serum.

Molecular diagnosis

Department that analyzes deoxyribonucleic acid within a variety of tissues.

Reagent

Test chemical.

Serum separator tube

A collection tube containing a polymer gel and clot activator that separates serum from blood cells during centrifugation.

STAT

A requisition requiring immediate attention and processing.