The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests

With the rapid advances in diagnostic medicine, it is more important than ever for consumers to have access to up-to-date, objective information about the tools commonly used by physicians, hospitals and commercial labs. This second edition provides a basic understanding of these diagnostic procedures. Organized alphabetically, this comprehensive guide provides information on more than 1000 commonly prescribed tests, including the CAT scan, MRI, PSA blood test for prostate, HIV test, mammography, fetal monitoring, and the pulmonary function test. Each entry includes a description of the test, patient preparation required, a description of the procedure itself, the reference range, what abnormal values may signify, and the cost of each test. An extensive glossary of medical terms translates professional terminology into accessible language, as does an appendix on medical abbreviations and symbols.