diagnostic exams

Myoglobin test is a test that evaluates the amount of myoglobin in the blood. Myoglobin is a protein that is present in the heart muscle and other muscles of the body, providing the oxygen needed for muscle contraction. Thus, myoglobin is not usually present in the blood, only being released when there is injury to some muscle after a sports injury, for example, or during an infarct, where the levels of this protein begin to increase in the blood 1 to 3 hours after the infarction and returns to normal after 24 hours

Lipase is a digestive enzyme mainly produced in the pancreas and has the function of breaking the fat of the diet into smaller molecules so that they can be absorbed by the intestine. In addition to the pancreas, the mouth and stomach also produce a little lipase to facilitate digestion. The high rate of lipase in the blood is usually treated according to the cause of the problem because its increased levels indicate the existence of some disease in the digestive system, especially acute pancreatitis

The troponin test is done to evaluate the amount of troponin T and troponin I proteins in the blood, which are released when there is damage to the heart muscle, such as when an infarction occurs, for example. The higher the damage to the heart, the greater the amount of these proteins in the blood. Thus, in healthy people, the troponin test usually does not identify the presence of these proteins in the blood and is considered a negative result

The test of estradiol is an examination done by means of the analysis of a blood sample that has as objective to verify the concentrations of the hormone estradiol in the body and therefore it is very used to verify the development and the operation of the ovaries in the women, and of the testes, in man, especially in cases of infertility

The FAN exam is a type of test widely used to aid in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, especially Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Thus, this test aims to detect in the blood the presence of autoantibodies, which are antibodies produced by the body itself and attack the cells and tissues themselves

Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody that can be produced in some autoimmune diseases and reacts against IgG, forming immunocomplexes that attack and destroy healthy tissues, such as cartilage of the joints, for example. Thus, the identification of rheumatoid factor in the blood is important to investigate the presence of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Sjögren's syndrome, which usually have high values ​​of this protein. How

The CA 125 exam is widely used to check a person's risk of developing some diseases, such as ovarian cancer, endometriosis or ovarian cyst, for example. This test is done from the analysis of a blood sample, where the concentration of CA 125 protein, which is normally elevated in ovarian cancer, is measured and considered a marker for this type of cancer

Biopsy is an invasive test used to examine the health and integrity of various tissues in the body such as skin, lung, muscle, bone, liver, kidney, or spleen. The goal of the biopsy is to observe any change, such as changes in shape and size of cells, and is useful even to identify the presence of cancer cells and other health problems

CA 19-9 is a protein released by cells in some tumor types, being used as a tumor marker. Thus, the CA 19-9 exam aims to identify the presence of this protein in the blood and help the diagnosis of some types of cancer, especially advanced pancreatic cancer, in which the levels of this protein are very high in the blood

There are 4 different tests that can confirm diabetes: fasting glucose, capillary glycemia test, glucose tolerance test, and glycated hemoglobin test. In general, the doctor asks for these tests when the patient has someone in the family with this disease or when it presents characteristic symptoms of it, such as constant thirst, frequent urge to urinate or weight loss for no apparent reason, for example

A liquid biopsy is an examination that can detect small pieces of DNA from the tumor in a person's blood sample and is considered an innovative examination that may in the future replace the conventional biopsy in which it is necessary to remove a sample of the fabric. Learn more about biopsy. This examination is non-invasive, as it does not require cuts or surgeries, and works as an excellent alternative for patients in whom the biopsy is not possible, due to a difficult tumor location or insufficient amount of tissue, for example, being also very useful to follow the evolution of the dise

Immunoglobulins G and immunoglobulins M, also known as IgG and IgM, are antibodies that the body produces when it comes in contact with some type of invasive microorganism. These antibodies are produced to promote the elimination of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, as well as toxins produced by these microorganisms when they invade the body

The albumin test is done to check the patient's general nutritional status and to identify possible renal or hepatic problems. Albumin is the protein present in the highest concentration in the blood. It is produced by the liver, whose main functions are to transport hormones, vitamins, nutrients and medicines, regulate the pH and maintain the osmotic balance of the organism, thus regulating the amount of water in the blood

The CA 15.3 exam is the examination usually required to monitor the treatment and to check for recurrence of breast cancer. CA 15.3 is a protein normally produced by mammary cells; however, in cancer the concentration of this protein is quite high, being used as a tumor marker. Although it is widely used in breast cancer, CA 15

Growth hormone, also called GH or somatotropin, is an important hormone produced by the pituitary gland that acts on the growth of the child and adolescent and also participates in processes of body metabolism. This test is done by dosing in blood samples collected in the laboratory and is usually requested by the endocrinologist when there is suspicion of the lack of GH production, especially in children who show below-expected growth or cases of gigantism or acromegaly

Estrone, also known as E1, is one of three types of the estrogen hormone, which also includes estradiol, or E2, and estriol, E3. Although estrone is the type that is least in the body, it is one of the most active in the body and therefore its evaluation may be important in assessing the risk of some diseases

The alkaline phosphatase test is usually used to look for diseases in the liver or bones when signs and symptoms such as abdominal pain, dark urine, jaundice or bone deformities and pain are present. It can also be performed as a routine examination, along with other tests, to assess the health of the liver

Creatine phosphokinase, known by the acronym CPK, is an enzyme that acts mainly on the muscular tissues, in the brain and in the heart, being requested its dosage to investigate possible damages to these organs. The doctor may order this examination when the person arrives at the hospital with chest pain complaint or to check for signs of a stroke or some disease that affects the muscles, for example

The VDRL exam, which stands for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, is a blood test used to diagnose syphilis, or lues, which is a sexually transmitted disease. In addition, this examination may also be requested to accompany the disease in those who already have syphilis, which is a disease characterized initially by the presence of wounds in the region that does not hurt

Prothrombin time or PT is a blood test that evaluates the blood's ability to coagulate, that is, the time taken to staunch a bleed, for example. Thus, prothrombin time test is used whenever bleeding or bruising is frequent to try to find the cause of the problem, as well as when there are suspicions of problems in the liver, and the dosage of OGT, TGP and GGT is also requested