The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) blood test measures the level of FSH in blood. FSH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland, located on the underside of the brain. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. How to Prepare for the Test If you are a woman of childbearing age, your health care …
The LH blood test measures the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in blood. LH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland, located on the underside of the brain. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. How to Prepare for the Test Your health care provider will ask you to temporarily stop medicines that …
Esophageal manometry is a test to measure how well the esophagus is working. How the Test is Performed During esophageal manometry, a thin, pressure-sensitive tube is passed through your nose, down the esophagus, and into your stomach. Before the procedure, you receive numbing medicine inside the nose. This helps make the insertion of the tube …
What is a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) test? A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are working. Your kidneys have tiny filters called glomeruli. These filters help remove waste and excess fluid from the blood. A GFR test estimates how much blood passes through these filters each …
What is a globulin test? Globulins are a group of proteins in your blood. They are made in your liver by your immune system. Globulins play an important role in liver function, blood clotting, and fighting infection. There are four main types of globulins. They are called alpha 1, alpha 2, beta, and gamma. Just …
What are glaucoma tests? Glaucoma tests are a group of tests that help diagnose glaucoma, a disease of the eye that can cause vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma happens when fluid builds up in the front part of the eye. The extra fluid causes an increase in eye pressure. Increased eye pressure can damage the optic nerve. The …
What is a gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) test? A gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) test measures the amount of GGT in the blood. GGT is an enzyme found throughout the body, but it is mostly found in the liver. When the liver is damaged, GGT may leak into the bloodstream. High levels of GGT in the blood may …
What is a fungal culture test? A fungal culture test helps diagnose fungal infections, a health problem caused by exposure to fungi (more than one fungus). A fungus is a type of germ that lives in the air, soil and plants, and even on our own bodies. There are more than a million different kinds of …
What is a free light chains test? Light chains are proteins made by plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. Plasma cells also make immunoglobulins (antibodies). Immunoglobulins help protect the body against illness and infections. Immunoglobulins are formed when light chains link up with heavy chains, another type of protein. When light chains link …
What is food allergy testing? A food allergy is a condition that causes your immune system to treat a normally harmless type of food as if was a dangerous virus, bacteria, or other infectious agents. The immune system response to a food allergy ranges from mild rashes to abdominal pain to a life-threatening complication called anaphylactic shock. Food allergies are more common in children …
