Hypercalcemia : Tests

Serum calcium; Serum PTH; Serum PTHrP; Urine calcium; Vitamin D level.

Hypercalcemia is an abnormally high level of calcium in the blood, usually more than 10.5 milligrams per deciliter of blood.

During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body; Palpation (feeling the body with hands; Auscultation (listening to sounds; Percussion (producing sounds.

An MRI of the head is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Conventional radiography and computed tomographic (CT) imaging use potentially harmful radiation (x-rays) that passes through a patient to generate images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on the magnetic properties of atoms, and there is no exposure to the same type of radiation used in x-rays and CT scans. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. Radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, returning a signal of their own. The slight differences of those signals from different tissues enables MRI to tell the difference between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant tissue. Any imaging angle, or "slice", can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI can easily be performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.

Detailed information on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including information on how the procedure is performed

PTH stands for parathyroid hormone. It is a protein hormone released by the parathyroid gland. PTH is the most important regulator of the body's calcium and phosphorus levels. Release of PTH is controlled by the level of calcium in the blood. Low blood calcium levels cause increased PTH to be released, while high blood calcium levels inhibit PTH release. A laboratory test can be done to measure the amount of PTH in your blood.

The parathyroid hormone (PTH) test is a blood test performed to determine the serum levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid gland in response to low blood calcium levels. PTH works together with vitamin D to maintain healthy bones.

The parathyroid hormone (PTH) test is a blood test performed to determine the serum levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid gland. The parathyroid glands are small paired glands located near the thyroid gland at the base of the neck.

Serum calcium is a laboratory test to measure the amount of calcium in your blood. All cells need calcium in order to work. Calcium helps build strong bones and teeth. It is important for heart function, and helps with muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and blood clotting. Calcium can also be measured in the urine. See: Calcium - urine test

The 25-hydroxy vitamin D test is the most accurate measure of the amount of vitamin D in the body. In the kidney, 25-hydroxy vitamin D changes into an active form (called 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. The active form helps control blood levels of calcium and phosphate. This article discusses the blood test used to measure the amount of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

This test measures the amount of calcium in urine. All cells need calcium in order to work. Calcium helps build strong bones and teeth. It is important for heart function, and helps with muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and blood clotting. See also: Calcium - blood