What is an elastography? Elastography, also known as liver elastography, is a type of imaging test that checks the liver for fibrosis. Fibrosis is a condition that reduces blood flow to and inside the liver. This causes the buildup of scar tissue. Left untreated, fibrosis can lead to serious problems in the liver. These include cirrhosis, liver […]
What are Down syndrome tests? Down syndrome is a disorder that causes intellectual disabilities, distinctive physical features, and various health problems. These may include heart defects, hearing loss, and thyroid disease. Down syndrome is a type of chromosome disorder. Chromosomes are the parts of your cells that contain your genes. Genes are parts of DNA passed down from your
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What is a drug test? A drug test looks for the presence of one or more illegal or prescription drugs in your urine, blood, saliva, hair, or sweat. Urine testing is the most common type of drug screening. The drugs most often tested for include: Marijuana Opioids, such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone, and fentanyl
What is a Doppler ultrasound? A Doppler ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to show blood moving through blood vessels. A regular ultrasound also uses sound waves to create images of structures inside the body, but it can’t show blood flow. Doppler ultrasound works by measuring sound waves that are reflected from
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What is a diabetic foot exam? People with diabetes are at higher risk for a variety of foot health problems. A diabetic foot exam checks people with diabetes for these problems, which include infection, injury, and bone abnormalities. Nerve damage, known as neuropathy, and poor circulation (blood flow) are the most common causes of diabetic foot problems. Neuropathy can make
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What is a DHEA sulfate test? This test measures the levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) in your blood. DHEAS stands for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. DHEAS is a male sex hormone that is found in both men and women. DHEAS plays an important role in making the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. It’s also
What is depression screening? A depression screening, also called a depression test, helps find out if you have depression. Depression is a common, though serious, illness. Everyone feels sad at times, but depression is different than normal sadness or grief. Depression can affect how you think, feel, and behave. Depression makes it hard to function at
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What is a dental exam? A dental exam is a checkup of your teeth and gums. Most children and adults should get a dental exam every six months. These exams are important for protecting oral health. Oral health problems can become serious and painful if not treated promptly. Dental exams are usually performed by both a
What is a dengue fever test? Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitos. The virus can’t be spread from person to person. Mosquitos that carry the dengue virus are most common in areas of the world with tropical and subtropical climates. These include parts of: South and Central America Southeast Asia The South Pacific Africa
What is a D-dimer test? A D-dimer test looks for D-dimer in blood. D-dimer is a protein fragment (small piece) that’s made when a blood clot dissolves in your body. Blood clotting is an important process that prevents you from losing too much blood when you are injured. Normally, your body will dissolve the clot once your