Arthritis : Tests

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First, your doctor will take a detailed medical history to see if arthritis or another musculoskeletal problem is the likely cause of your symptoms. Next, a thorough physical examination may show that fluid is collecting around the joint. (This is...
Source:ADAM
Date:July 27, 2007
A blood culture is a test to determine if microorganisms such as bacteria, mycobacteria, or fungus are present in the blood. A sample of blood is put in a special laboratory preparation and is incubated in a controlled environment for 1 to 7 days.
Source:ADAM
Date:December 3, 2007
A blood culture is done when a person has symptoms of a blood infection, also called bacteremia . Blood is drawn from the person one or more times and is tested in a laboratory to find and identify any microorganism present and growing in the blood.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A blood culture is a lab test designed to detect the presence of bacteria , yeast, or fungi in the bloodstream. A routine blood culture involves injecting a sample of the patient's blood into two bottles of sterile nutrient broth (one for aerobes and one for anaerobes), incubating the bottles at 35DEGTAGC, and monitoring the bottles for growth over a period of five days.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Fever evaluation tests, better known as febrile agglutinins tests, are performed to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood that are sensitive to temperature changes. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to specific infectious agents, such as viruses or bateria.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
C-reactive protein is a test that measures the concentration of a protein in serum that indicates acute inflammation.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 16, 2007
The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) test is a blood assay used to estimate an individual ' s risk for heart disease and stroke . The test also measures the presence of inflammation or infection.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) is a nonspecific screening test for various diseases. This 1-hour test measures the distance (in millimeters) that red blood cells settle in unclotted blood toward the bottom of a specially marked test tube.
Source:ADAM
Date:June 18, 2007
The sedimentation rate test, also called the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or sed rate test, measures the speed at which the red blood cells (erythrocytes or RBCs) separate from the liquid part of the blood (plasma) and settle to the bottom in a tube of anticoagulated blood. Purpose The sedimentation rate is a non-specific indicator of the presence of inflammation or infection .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), or sedimentation rate (sed rate), is a measure of the settling of red blood cells in a tube of blood during one hour. The rate is an indication of inflammation and increases in many diseases.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
The hematocrit is the percent of whole blood that is composed of red blood cells. The hematocrit is a measure of both the number of red blood cells and the size of red blood cells. The hematocrit is almost always ordered as part of a complete blood count , which measures the number of red blood cells, the number of white blood cells, the total amount of hemoglobin in the blood, and the fraction of the blood composed of red blood cells (hematocrit).
Source:ADAM
Date:March 8, 2007
Blood has a liquid component (plasma) and a particulate component (blood cells). The denser blood cells (most of which are red blood cells) will settle in a tube, particularly if the blood is spun in a device called a centrifuge.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
The hematocrit measures how much space in the blood is occupied by red blood cells. It is useful when evaluating a person for anemia.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A pelvis X-ray is an examination involving images of the bones of the lower torso.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 24, 2007
Bone radiography is a way to take pictures of bones. Low dose radiation (x-rays) is passed through the body, producing images of the bones on film.
Source:StayWell
This test is an x-ray of a knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, or other joint.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 24, 2008
This is a test to measure the number of platelets in blood. Platelets are a type of blood cell. They play a key role in normal blood clotting. During the clotting process, platelets clump together to plug small holes in damaged blood vessels. The purpose of clotting is to stop bleeding. Platelets also activate factor VIII and release phospholipids as part of the blood clotting process.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 8, 2007
A platelet count is a diagnostic test that determines the number of platelets in the patient ' s blood. Platelets, which are also called thrombocytes, are small disk-shaped blood cells produced in the bone marrow and involved in the process of blood clotting.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
This is a test that measures the clotting time of plasma (the liquid portion of the blood).
Source:ADAM
Date:March 9, 2007
The prothrombin time test belongs to a group of blood tests that assess the clotting ability of blood. The test is also known as the pro time or PT test.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Hemostasis has been described as "a process by which the body spontaneously stops bleeding and maintains blood in the fluid state within the vascular compartment." There are at least four major systems that are involved in this complex process: the vasculature system, the platelets, the fibrin-forming system, and the fibrin- lysing system.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
This is a test that measures the presence and level of rheumatoid factor (RF) in the blood.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 27, 2007
The RF is an antibody detectable in the blood in about 70 percent of persons with rheumatoid arthritis but can often be found in other people as well. In fact, healthy people with no arthritis and no medical problems at all make tiny amounts of this antibody.
Source:StayWell
Synovial fluid analysis is a battery of tests performed on synovial (joint) fluid to help diagnose and treat joint-related abnormalities.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 6, 2007
Joint fluid analysis, also called synovial fluid analysis, or arthrocentesis, is a procedure used to assess joint-related abnormalities, such as occur in the knee or elbow. Synovial or joint fluid is an ultrafiltrate of plasma formed in the synovial membrane of movable joints.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Joint fluid analysis, also called synovial fluid analysis, or arthrocentesis, is a procedure used to assess joint-related abnormalities, such as in the knee or elbow. Purpose The purpose of a joint fluid analysis is to identify the cause of swelling in the joints, to relieve pain and distention from fluid accumulation in the joint, and to diagnose certain types of arthritis and inflammatory joint diseases.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. In a health care setting, x-rays are emitted by a machine as individual "particles" (photons) that pass through the body and then get detected by a sensitive film. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will block most of the photons, and will appear white on developed film. Structures containing air will be black on film, and muscle, fat, and fluid will appear as shades of gray. Metal and contrast media (intravenous or oral contrast) blocks almost all the photons and will appear bright white. The basic science of x-ray generation and detection is the key behind general radiographs of the body, mammography, fluoroscopy (real-time imaging on video screens), and computed tomography (CT).
Source:ADAM
Date:October 23, 2006
X rays are electromagnetic radiation that differentially penetrates structures within the body and creates images of these structures on photographic film or a fluorescent screen. These images are called diagnostic x rays.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
X-rayAnx-rayuses a small amount of radiation to create images of your bones and internal organs. X-rays are most often used to detect bone or joint problems, or to check the heart and lungs (chest x-ray).Let the technologist know if you:Are or may...
Source:StayWell
An x-ray unit is the equipment used to produce x rays. Because of the risk of over-exposure to x rays, the x-ray unit includes both the machine used for collecting x rays and the protective room within which the x rays are taken and developed.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
X rays are a type of radiation used in imaging andtherapy that uses short wavelength energy beams capable of penetrating most substances except heavy metals. Purpose Diagnostic x rays are some of the most powerful medical imaging tools available.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
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