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Hypothyroidism Blood Tests Explained Hypothyroidism, also called an underactive thyroid, happens when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones. Blood tests are essential because symptoms such as tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation or low mood can be caused by many conditions. The main blood tests used in hypothyroidism assessment are: TSH Free … Read more
Type 2 Diabetes Blood Tests Explained Type 2 diabetes is usually investigated and monitored using blood tests that measure glucose control and related health risks. The most familiar tests are HbA1c and blood glucose, but diabetes care may also include kidney, cholesterol and liver-related blood tests. This page explains the main blood tests used in … Read more
Lupus Blood Tests Explained Lupus is an autoimmune condition that can affect different parts of the body, including the skin, joints, blood, kidneys, heart, lungs and nervous system. Because lupus can look different from person to person, blood tests are used as part of a wider clinical assessment. There is no single blood test that … Read more
Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood Tests Explained Rheumatoid arthritis, often shortened to RA, is an autoimmune inflammatory joint condition. Blood tests can help support the investigation and monitoring of RA, but they do not diagnose the condition alone. Healthcare professionals usually consider: Symptoms Joint examination Duration and pattern of joint swelling Blood tests Imaging such as ultrasound … Read more
Heart Attack Blood Tests Explained When a heart attack is suspected, blood tests can help healthcare professionals look for evidence of heart muscle damage. The most important blood test in this setting is usually troponin, but clinicians do not rely on blood tests alone. A possible heart attack is assessed using several pieces of information: … Read more
Sepsis Lab Tests Explained Sepsis is a serious medical emergency that can happen when the body has an extreme response to infection. In suspected sepsis, laboratory tests help healthcare professionals gather information quickly: whether infection may be present, how the body is responding, whether organs may be under stress, and whether treatment needs urgent adjustment. … Read more
Day in the Life of a Biomedical Scientist A day in the life of a biomedical scientist can look very different depending on the department, shift pattern and hospital service. A biomedical scientist in clinical biochemistry may spend much of the day around automated analysers, while someone in histopathology may work with tissue blocks, sections … Read more
What Is a Clinical Genetics Laboratory? A clinical genetics laboratory is a medical laboratory that investigates genetic and genomic changes that may be relevant to health. It may test DNA, chromosomes or other genetic material to support diagnosis, risk assessment, cancer care, rare disease investigation or inherited condition pathways. Modern services often use the term … Read more
What Is Cytology? Cytology is the study of cells. In a medical laboratory, cytology involves examining cells from body sites, fluids or screening samples to look for abnormal changes. Cytology is part of cellular pathology, but it is different from histopathology. Histopathology examines tissue architecture. Cytology focuses on individual cells or groups of cells. Cytology … Read more
What Is Virology? Virology is the study of viruses. In healthcare laboratories, virology focuses on detecting viruses, measuring viral activity and identifying immune responses to viral infection. Viruses are different from bacteria. They contain genetic material — either DNA or RNA — and depend on host cells to multiply. This affects how they are tested, … Read more