Doctor-Reviewed Health Guides: Conditions, Procedures & Health News

Phalen's test is a quick physical exam used to check for carpal tunnel syndrome. You press the backs of your hands together and hold the position for one minute, which puts pressure on the median nerve. Tingling or numbness in the fingers or hand is a positive result, though imaging or nerve tests may be needed to confirm it.

A transferrin saturation (TSAT) test is a blood test that shows what percentage of transferrin, the protein that carries iron in the blood, is holding iron. It's calculated from serum iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). A normal result is 20% to 50%. A low TSAT may point to iron deficiency, and a high TSAT to iron overload.

An EMG (electromyography) is a test that checks the health of the skeletal muscles and the nerves that control them. A thin needle electrode records the muscles' electrical activity at rest and when you tighten them. It helps diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, peripheral neuropathy, muscle diseases and ALS. The test usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.

A PSA test is a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein made by normal and cancerous prostate tissue. It's used to screen for prostate cancer. Normal PSA rises with age, from up to 2.5 ng/mL in your 40s to up to 5.5 ng/mL in your 70s. A high PSA does not mean you have cancer.

Auscultation is when a provider listens to the sounds of your heart, lungs, arteries and belly with a stethoscope. It's a routine, safe, non-invasive part of a physical exam. Your provider listens for the timing, loudness, pitch and quality of each sound, and unusual sounds such as murmurs, wheezes or crackles can point to conditions that need more testing.

A testosterone test is a blood test that measures the level of testosterone, a hormone, in your blood. Providers usually order it when your symptoms suggest your level is too high or too low. The most common version measures total testosterone, and the blood draw takes less than five minutes.

A flu test checks a respiratory sample, usually a nasal swab, for the influenza virus. Rapid antigen tests give results in under 30 minutes, while molecular tests such as PCR are more accurate. Most people with the flu do not need a test, but your provider may recommend one if you are at higher risk of complications.

A basic metabolic panel (BMP) is a common blood test that measures eight substances in the blood: glucose, calcium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and four electrolytes. It gives a broad picture of kidney function, blood sugar, fluid and electrolyte balance and acid-base balance. You usually fast for at least eight hours.

Allergy testing finds the substances (allergens) that trigger your allergy symptoms, such as pollen, mold, pet dander, insect venom, latex, medicines or foods. An allergist exposes you to small amounts of likely allergens in a controlled setting through a skin prick, intradermal, patch, blood (IgE) or oral challenge test. Most skin test results are ready during your visit.

A bronchoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a provider looks inside the airways and lungs with a bronchoscope, a thin tube with a light and camera. It helps diagnose lung problems such as cancer, infection and inflammation, and it can treat some problems, like removing blockages. Most people go home within a few hours.

A CT angiogram (CTA) is a CT scan that uses contrast dye to make the blood vessels show up clearly, creating detailed 3D images. Providers use it to find blocked or narrowed arteries, aneurysms, tears in the aorta and blood clots in the lungs. You'll spend about 20 to 60 minutes in the testing room.

Tonometry is a quick eye test that measures the pressure inside the eye, called intraocular pressure (IOP). It's one of the key tests used to screen for and diagnose glaucoma. Some tonometers gently touch the eye, while others use a puff of air. Normal eye pressure for most people is 10 to 21 mmHg. The test shouldn't hurt.

A bone marrow biopsy is a procedure that removes a small amount of the soft tissue inside the bones (bone marrow) so a specialist can examine it. It helps diagnose blood disorders, cancer and other conditions that affect bone marrow. It takes 10 to 20 minutes, the area is numbed first, and most people go home the same day.

Colorectal cancer screening checks the colon and rectum for precancerous polyps and early cancer before you have symptoms. Most people should start at age 45 and continue until age 75. Options include a colonoscopy every 10 years, at-home stool tests every 1 to 3 years and CT colonography every 5 years. Colonoscopy is the most accurate test.

An autopsy is a medical examination of a body after death to find out why, and sometimes how, a person died. A pathologist examines the body and internal organs and takes tissue and fluid samples. The two main types are forensic and medical autopsies. The exam takes 2 to 4 hours, and full results take 6 weeks.

A transvaginal ultrasound is a quick imaging test of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries. A thin probe placed in the vagina uses sound waves to make pictures. It can help find causes of pelvic pain or unusual bleeding and check an early pregnancy. It takes 15 to 30 minutes and is safe during pregnancy.

MCV, or mean corpuscular volume, is a value on a complete blood count (CBC) that shows the average size of the red blood cells. A normal MCV is 80 to 100 femtoliters (fL). A low MCV can point to iron-deficiency anemia or thalassemia; a high MCV to low vitamin B12 or folate, liver disease or bone marrow problems.

A platelet count is a common blood test that measures how many platelets, the blood cells that help blood clot, are in the blood. A normal count is 150,000 to 400,000 platelets per microliter. Fewer than 150,000 is low (thrombocytopenia), and more than 450,000 is high (thrombocytosis). It's usually part of a complete blood count (CBC).

Spirometry is a safe breathing test that measures how much air you can blow out of your lungs and how fast. You take a deep breath and blow out hard into a mouthpiece connected to a spirometer. It helps diagnose and track asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis. The test takes 15 to 30 minutes and isn't painful.

Liver function tests (LFTs) are blood tests that measure substances your liver makes or processes, including enzymes, proteins and bilirubin. A liver panel usually checks several of these from one blood sample. Levels that are too high or too low can point to liver inflammation, bile duct problems, medicine side effects or other liver diseases.

A HIDA scan (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan) is a nuclear medicine test. A radioactive tracer is injected into a vein, and a camera follows it as it moves with bile from the liver into the gallbladder and small intestine. It shows how well the liver, bile ducts and gallbladder work and helps diagnose cholecystitis, bile leaks and biliary atresia.

A breast MRI is an imaging test that uses a strong magnet, radio waves and a computer to make very detailed pictures of breast tissue. Providers mainly use it to evaluate known breast cancer, and alongside mammograms and ultrasound to screen people at high risk or with dense breasts. The scan itself takes about 20 minutes and uses no X-rays.

An oral cancer screening is an exam, usually under five minutes, in which a dentist or provider checks your lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, tonsils and the floor and roof of your mouth for signs of cancer. It looks for warning signs; it does not diagnose cancer. If something looks suspicious, you're referred for more tests such as a biopsy.

A pelvic ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to make pictures of the organs in your pelvis. It can be done from outside the body (over the belly) or inside (through the vagina or rectum). It helps diagnose problems like cysts, tumors, pain and abnormal bleeding, and it uses no radiation.