Through numerous testing methodologies, Lab Professionals test for 1000s of diseases and disorders. The following list presents just some of the numerous tests your medical professionals complete for your ongoing healthcare. 

Browse the sample list below for details on a small subset of the total list of tests your Lab Professionals perform. For the complete list of tests we perform or some explanation videos of various tests, see the links below. 
 

A blood glucose test can detect diabetes and the A1C test can be used to monitor diabetes.

Urine is tested for drugs of abuse including amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, marijuana, cocaine, opioids, methadone and oxycodone.

A doctor will take a throat swab which is sent to the lab to check for the presence of the bacteria that causes whooping cough - Bordetella pertussis.

During a skin biopsy, doctor will remove a small sample of skin.  A sample can also be removed during surgery.  The lab processes the sample and it is examined by a pathologist who will provide a diagnosis.

Serology blood tests for HIV identifies antibodies to the HIV virus in the blood, which indicates exposure to the virus and an infection.  HIV testing by PCR testing identifies the genetic material of the HIV virus and can detect very early infection before antibodies are present.

A blood sample is tested for low-density lipoprotein (LDL).  High levels of LDL can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries and result in heart disease or stroke.

A positive test result for deaminated gliadin IgA antibodies is consistent with a diagnosis of celiac disease.

A doctor will order a CBC (complete blood count), hemoglobin level and ferritin level to help determine if the level of iron in your blood is low.

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is a bleeding disorder related to how your blood clots.  Doctors will order a blood tests to measure how your blood clots including Factor VIII testing, and Von Willebrand factor antigen testing.  Further testing can be done by the lab to determine the specific sub-type of VWD.

A Pap smear collects cells from the cervix to check for abnormalities or the presence of cancer.

Blood tests would include high bilirubin level or high levels of other enzymes, like ALT (alanine transaminase), AST (aspartate transaminase), and ALP (alkaline phosphatase).  A biopsy (small sample of liver) is often taken and examined in the labto confirm the diagnosis.  

A blood test for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine test.

A high level of uric acid in a urine or blood sample can diagnose kidney stones.

A urine sample will be examined in the lab under the microscope for the presence of bacteria and blood cells (both white and red cells).

If you have irregular menstrual bleeding, blood tests can help your doctor to figure out the cause of the bleeding, and if it may be due to uterine fibroids or some other cause.

When a patient is bleeding extensively, massive hemorrhage protocols determine what type of blood and how much blood should be given to the patient.  The lab ensures that all units of blood given to the patient are compatible and sufficient quantities are available as needed.

A swab sample collected from the child and the father is analyzed in the lab to compare the DNA of the child with that of the alleged father to determine a match.

A sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected by the doctor by taking a sample of CSF from your lower back.  CSF is the clear fluid that surrounds your spine and brain. A sample is tested using a gram stain to check for bacteria that causes meningitis. The CSF will also be tested for elevated levels of white blood cells, glucose and proteins which can also indicate meningitis.

Blood tests for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T3 and T4 help doctors to check your thyroid function.  If your TSH level is high, you may have hypothyroidism which means your thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. If your TSH is low, you may have hyperthyroidism in which your thyroid gland is making too much thyroid hormone.

Rh factor is a protein found on the surface of the red blood cells.  We inherit it from our parents.  Most people are Rh positive, or Rh+.  Being Rh- can affect  pregnancy, especially if the baby is Rh+.  The doctor will use the results of the Rh test to monitor the mom during pregnancy and follow up with additional testing.

When a patient is bleeding extensively, massive hemorrhage protocols determine what type of blood and how much blood should be given to the patient.  The lab ensures that all units of blood given to the patient are compatible and sufficient quantities are available as needed.

Prenatal testing of amniotic fluid or chorionic villus sampling can detect the extra chromosome 21 associated with Down syndrome. Screening tests can also indicate the likelihood the mother is carrying a baby with Down syndrome. After birth, a blood sample from the baby can be used to analyze the chromosomes of the baby to confirm the extra chromosome 21 and the diagnosis.

Troponin is a protein which is released into the bloodstream when the heart is damaged.  Lab testing for troponin is used to assess whether someone has had a heart attack.

A small sample taken from the baby's heel at 1-2 days old, is tested for serious diseases that may not be evident at birth. They include metabolic diseases, endocrine diseases, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, sever combined immune deficiency, spinal muscular atrophy and critical congenital heart disease.  Each of these diseases could be life-threatening if not treated.

A blood sample is tested using a technique called high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify if a person has Hemoglobin S, instead of the normal Hemoglobin A.  A genetic test can be done to confirm the diagnosis of Sickle Cell Anemia.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder caused when the body does not make enough hemoglobin. Blood tests like a CBC (complete blood count) and a blood smear can show the number of red blood cells and any abnormalities in size, shape, or colour. Blood tests can also be used for DNA analysis to look for mutated genes to determine the type of thalassemia.

A doctor will take a throat swab which is sent to the lab to check for the presence of the bacteria that causes strep throat, Group A Streptococcus.

A blood test for Immunoglobulin E (IgE) will detect the level of antibodies to specific allergens which can help to detect and manage allergies to many different substances.

Maternal serum screening (MSS) is a blood test taken during 15-21 weeks gestation that screens for Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18 and open neural tube defects.  Positive results may lead to further diagnostic lab testing for specific conditions.

A bone marrow sample and biopsy (taken from the back of the hip bone) helps to make a diagnosis of myeloma and provides information about how advanced the disease is. The serum protein electrophoresis  (SPEP) test measures the amount of antibodies in the blood, specifically abnormal proteins found in myeloma.   

It is a serious emergency situation if a doctor suspects a patient has flesh-eating disease.  A sample of the infected tissue is tested for the presence of the bacteria.  Rapid diagnosis is required as the bacteria quickly destroys skin, fat and tissue covering the muscles.

During an autopsy, there is a complete visual exam of the entire body, including all of the organs an internal structures.  Organs are weighed and samples are taken for examination under the microscope.  Blood and other body fluid samples are taken for toxicology testing (drug/substance levels) and also to check for signs of infection. 

Every unit of blood collected from a donor is tested to confirm their blood type (A, B, AB or O) and Rh type, and is also screened for disease markers including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, West Nile, Syphilis, Chagas Disease and HTLV to ensure the units are safe to be transfused to a patient.

Screening for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is part of the newborn screening panel for all newborns in Ontario.  If a baby is screen positive or has symptoms, a doctor would order a sweat test which measures the amount of salt in a baby's sweat.  Carrier testing is also available for parents to find out what their chances are of having a child with CF.

A high level of uric acid in a urine or blood sample can diagnose gout.

During a breast biopsy, a small hollow-core needle is used to take a sample of breast tissue.  A sample can also be removed during surgery.  The lab processes the sample and it is examined by a pathologist who will provide a diagnosis.

Three tests are done to evaluate donors; blood type, crossmatch, and HLA (human leucocyte antigen). The donor's blood type must match the recipient.  Some blood types are not compatible. HLA refers to genetic markers you get from your parents and HLA testing determines if your body will make antibodies against a donor's HLAs. If that happens, transplant will be rejected.

A blood sample is tested for HBV (Hepatitis B virus) serology for many possible reasons:  if hepatitis is suspected, as part of prenatal testing, before starting chemotherapy, to determine immune status, and for occupational exposures.  Testing is also done for Hepatitis A and C.

You can be diagnosed with lead poisoning through a blood test if the level of lead in your blood is elevated.

Some genes can raise a man's risk for prostate cancer.  Inherited genetic testing can be done on a blood sample to look for specific mutations associated with prostate cancer.  A tumour biopsy can also be tested for acquired mutations in prostate tumours.

A blood sample can be analyzed by doing a complete blood count (CBC) or by looking at the blood cells through a microscope.  A doctor may also collect a sample of bone marrow from the patient's hip that is sent to the lab to look for leukemia cells.

A D-dimer blood test measures a substance in the blood that is released when a blood clot breaks up.  If the D-dimer test is negative, it means that the patient probably does not have a blood clot.

An HPV infection can lead to cancer.  An HPV test is usually done at the same time as a  Pap smear which collects cells from the cervix to check for abnormalities or the presence of cancer.

​The most common test for gonorrhea is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) which detects the genetic material of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium.  Either urine or swab samples can be used.

The level of alcohol (ethanol) in your blood is measured.  Blood alcohol levels are often tested when patients come into the Emergency Department after an accident or other trauma.

​Therapeutic drug monitoring tests the amount of certain medicines in your blood to make sure that the dose you are taking is both safe and effective.  Testing would be specific for the drug like some antibiotics, heart drugs,  and drugs for bipolar disorder.

A test called a Monospot test looks for specific antibodies in the blood that show up during or after an infection with Epstein-Barr virus which causes mononucleosis.

Your doctor will use a swab to take a sample from the site of the wound. The lab will do a bacterial wound culture and a Gram stain to help determine whether a wound is infected and to identify which bacteria is causing the infection.  Once the bacteria is identified, the lab will perform susceptibility testing to determine which antibiotic will be most effective to treat the infection.

During a biopsy or surgery, the doctor collects a sample of the cells, tissue or tumour for testing in the laboratory.  The lab will process the biopsy and a pathologist will look at the sample under a microscope and to check for cancer cells.

Testing for RSV is often part of a "respiratory panel" that tests for several seasonal viruses at the same time, including Influenza A and B, RSV, adenovirus, human rhinovirus, and others.  A nasopharyngeal swab is usually collected for the test.

A sample of urine is examined under the microscope to look for abnormal cells that can be used to diagnose cancers of the urinary tract including kidney, bladder, ureter and urethra.