DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE

KRISTIAN KARL B. KIW-IS

Laboratory test & Pertinent Laboratory Reference/normal values Result Interpretation What have caused the abnormality/ Purpose/NI
Result

Complete Blood Count:

Red Blood Cell count
Male: 4.35-5.65 trillion cells/L*
(4.35-5.65 million cells/mcL**)
Female: 3.92-5.13 trillion cells/L
(3.92-5.13 million cells/mcL)
--------------------- Medical conditions that can cause an
increase in red blood cells include: Heart
failure, causing low blood oxygen levels.
Congenital heart disease (born with it)
Polycythemia vera (a blood disorder in
which the bone marrow produces too many
red blood cells)
A high RBC count may be a result of sleep apnea,
pulmonary fibrosis, and other conditions that
cause low oxygen levels in the blood.
Performance-enhancing drugs like protein
injections and anabolic steroids can also increase
RBCs. Kidney disease and kidney cancers can
lead to high RBC counts as well.

A low RBC count could also indicate a
vitamin B6, B12 or folate deficiency. It
may also signify internal bleeding,
kidney disease or malnutrition (where
a person's diet doesn't contain enough
nutrients to meet their body's needs).
Hemoglobin Male: 13.2-16.6 grams/dL*** ---------------------- A high hemoglobin count indicates an
(132-166 grams/L) above-normal level of the iron-
containing protein in red blood cells.
Female: 11.6-15 grams/dL Hemoglobin (often abbreviated as Hb
(116-150 grams/L) or Hgb) is the oxygen-carrying
component of red blood cells.
Low hemoglobin levels usually
indicate that a person has anemia.
There are several kinds of anemia:
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most
common type. This form of anemia
occurs when a person does not have
enough iron in their body, and it
A red blood cell (RBC) count is a blood test
that tells you how many red blood cells you
have. Red blood cells contain a substance
called haemoglobin, which transports
oxygen around the body.
Medical conditions that can cause high
hemoglobin levels include: Polycythemia
vera (the bone marrow produces too many
red blood cells) Lung diseases such as COPD,
emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis (lung
tissue becomes scarred) Heart disease,
especially congenital heart disease (the baby
is born with it)
The hemoglobin test is often used to check
for anemia, usually along with a hematocrit
or as part of a complete blood count (CBC).
The test may be used to screen for,
diagnose, or monitor a number of conditions
 DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
KRISTIAN KARL B. KIW-IS
cannot make the hemoglobin it needs.
Hematocrit Male: 38.3-48.6 percent ------------------------ A higher than normal hematocrit can
indicate: Dehydration. A disorder,
such as polycythemia vera, that causes
Female: 35.5-44.9 percent
your body to produce too many red
blood cells. Lung or heart disease.
A lower than normal hematocrit can
indicate: An insufficient supply of
healthy red blood cells (anemia) A
large number of white blood cells due
to long-term illness, infection or a
white blood cell disorder such as
leukemia or lymphoma. Vitamin or
mineral deficiencies. Recent or long-
term blood loss.
and diseases that affect red blood cells
(RBCs) and/or the amount of hemoglobin in
blood.
A hematocrit test is part of a complete blood
count (CBC). Measuring the proportion of
red blood cells in your blood can help your
doctor make a diagnosis or monitor your
response to a treatment. A lower than
normal hematocrit can indicate: An
insufficient supply of healthy red blood cells
(anemia)
A person who has a low hematocrit is
referred to as being anemic. There are many
reasons for anemia. Some of the more
common reasons are
 loss of blood (traumatic injury,
surgery, bleeding, and colon cancer),
 nutritional deficiency (iron, vitamin
B12, folate),
 bone marrow problems
(replacement of bone marrow by
cancer,
 suppression by chemotherapy drugs,
kidney failure), and
 abnormal hemoglobin (sickle cell
anemia).
 A man getting IV fluids.
 Abnormal hematocrit levels
represent abnormally elevated red
blood cell counts.
Higher than normal hematocrit levels

KRISTIAN KARL B. KIW-IS
White blood cell count
DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
3.4-9.6 billion cells/L
(3,400 to 9,600 cells/mcL)
------------------------ A high white blood cell count may
indicate that the immune system is
working to destroy an infection. It may
also be a sign of physical or emotional
stress. People with particular blood
cancers may also have high white
blood cells counts.
A low white blood cell count in adults
is less than 4,000 cells per microliter
of blood. A low white blood cell count
can be an indicator of certain
represent abnormally elevated red blood cell
counts.
 High hematocrits can be seen in
people living at high altitudes and in
chronic smokers.
 Dehydration produces a falsely high
hematocrit that disappears when the
proper fluid balance is restored.
Some other infrequent causes of an elevated
hematocrit are
 lung disease,
 certain tumors,
 a disorder of the bone marrow
known as polycythemia rubra vera,
and
 abuse of the drug erythropoietin
(Epogen) by athletes for "blood
doping" purposes.
A WBC count is a blood test to measure the
number of white blood cells (WBCs) in the
blood. WBCs are also called leukocytes. They
help fight infections.
White blood cell count. A low white blood
cell count (leukopenia) may be caused by a
medical condition, such as an autoimmune
disorder that destroys white blood cells,
bone marrow problems or cancer. Certain
medications also can cause white blood cell
counts to drop.
 DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
KRISTIAN KARL B. KIW-IS
conditions, including lupus,
rheumatoid arthritis, vitamin
deficiencies, or a side effect of cancer
treatment.
Platelet count Male: 135-317 billion/L ------------------------ A platelet count that's lower than
(135,000 to 317,000/mcL) normal (thrombocytopenia) or higher
Female: 157-371 billion/L than normal (thrombocytosis) is often
(157,000 to 371,000/mcL) a sign of an underlying medical
condition, or it may be a side effect
from medication. If your platelet
count is outside the normal range,
you'll likely need additional tests to
diagnose the cause.
Urine Analysis Color -Straw ------------------------ Abnormal pH levels may indicate a
kidney or urinary tract disorder.
Turbidity -Clear Concentration. A measure of
concentration, or specific gravity,
pH -5-9
shows how concentrated particles are
Specific Gravity -1.003-1.030 in your urine. A higher than normal
concentration often is a result of not
Protein -Negative drinking enough fluids.
Glucose -Negative
Ketone -Negative
If your white blood cell count is higher than
normal, you may have an infection or
inflammation. Or, it could indicate that you
have an immune system disorder or a bone
marrow disease. A high white blood cell
count can also be a reaction to medication.
Platelet function tests indirectly evaluate
how well a person's platelets work in helping
to stop bleeding within the body. Platelets
are produced in the bone marrow and
circulate in the blood. When there is an
injury to a blood vessel and bleeding begins,
platelets are the first elements to help to
stop bleeding.
Diseases that can affect platelet function
include cirrhosis, multiple myeloma, kidney
disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus
(lupus). Some people can develop platelet
dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass
during open-heart surgery.
The urinalysis is another common test
routinely taken in almost all acute hospitals
as an admission lab screening test. It can
easily reveal renal and systemic pathologies.
Everyone should be reminded of the
importance of this test. It has become such a
routine patient test, that often, care is not
taken when collecting and handling
specimens. This improper handling can affect
the results of the test, since contamination
can occur at any point in the handling.
 DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
KRISTIAN KARL B. KIW-IS
A urinalysis is a test of your urine. A
Bile -Negative urinalysis is used to detect and manage a
wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract
Urobilinogen -Trace to 1 mg/dL
infections, kidney disease and diabetes.
Blood -Negative

Leukocyte Esterase -Negative A urinalysis involves checking the

appearance, concentration and content of
Nitrite - Negative urine. Abnormal urinalysis results may point
to a disease or illness.

For example, a urinary tract infection can

make urine look cloudy instead of clear.
Increased levels of protein in urine can be a
sign of kidney disease. Unusual urinalysis
results often require more testing to uncover
the source of the problem.

Diagnostic Procedure Description Purpose Nursing Responsibilities

Chest X-rays produce images of your heart, lungs,
1. Chest X-ray blood vessels, airways, and the bones of your chest
and spine. Chest X-rays can also reveal fluid in or
around your lungs or air surrounding a lung
2. Sputum A sputum stain for Mycobacteria is a laboratory test
Culture performed on a sample of your sputum, or phlegm. It's
(Acid Fast also known as an acid-fast bacillus (AFB) stain or a
Bacilli) tuberculosis (TB) smear. A doctor typically orders the
test to determine if a person has tuberculosis (TB) or
another type of mycobacterial infection.
A chest X-ray is a fast and painless imaging test
that uses certain electromagnetic waves to create
pictures of the structures in and around your chest.
This test can help diagnose and monitor conditions
such as pneumonia, heart failure, lung cancer,
tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and lung tissue scarring,
called fibrosis.
AFB testing may be used to detect several different
types of acid-fast bacilli, but it is most commonly
used to identify an active tuberculosis (TB) infection.
Promoting good fluid intake through the use of intravenous fluids will help promote
release of secretions; humidified oxygen therapy could also be helpful.
Physiotherapy may also help to achieve sputum samples and promote recovery.
Place a patient with active or suspected TB disease in a negative-pressure room
with respiratory airborne isolation and use standard precautions. He should remain
in isolation until three consecutive sputum cultures have tested negative.