Diagnosing Anemia

Diagnosing Anemia

In many cases, doctors don't discover anemia until they run blood tests as part of a routine physical examination.

A complete blood count (CBC) may indicate that there are fewer red blood cells than normal.

Other diagnostic tests may include:

1- Blood smear examination: Microscopic examination of red blood cells after blood is smeared on a glass slide can sometimes indicate the cause of the anemia.

2 - Iron tests: These include total serum iron and ferritin tests, which can help to determine whether anemia is due to iron deficiency.

3 - Hemoglobin electrophoresis:

This test identifies various abnormal hemoglobins in the blood and is used to diagnose sickle cell anemia and the thalassemias.

4 - Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy:

This test can help determine whether cell production is happening normally in the bone marrow.

It's the only way to diagnose aplastic anemia definitively and is also used if it is suspected that a disease affecting the bone marrow (such as leukemia) could be the cause for the anemia.

In addition to running these tests, your child's doctor may ask about a family history of anemia and your child's symptoms and medications. This may lead the doctor to perform other tests to look for specific diseases that might be the underlying cause of the anemia.

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MICROSCOPIC URINALYSIS Methodology A sample of well-mixed urine (usually 10-15 ml) is centrifuged in a test tube at relatively low speed (about 2-3,000 rpm) for 5-10 minutes until a moderately cohesive button is produced at the bottom of the tube. The supernatant is decanted and a volume of 0.2 to 0.5 ml is left inside the tube. The sediment is resuspended in the remaining supernatant by flicking the bottom of the tube several times. A drop of resuspended sediment is poured onto a glass slide and coverslipped.

Liver Enzymes

Liver Enzymes Definition A liver enzyme is a protein that helps to speed up a chemical reaction in the liver. Liver function tests are blood tests that are used to evaluate various functions of the liver - for example, metabolism, storage, filtration and excretion, which are often performed by liver enzymes. However, not all liver function tests are measures of enzyme function. • ALT - (alanine aminotransferase ) - was previously called SGPT is more specific for liver damage. The ALT is an enzyme that is produced in the liver cells (hepatocytes) therefore it is more specific for liver disease than some of the other enzymes. It is generally increased in situations where there is damage to the liver cell membranes. All types of liver inflammation can cause raised ALT. • AST - (aspartate aminotransferase) which was previously called SGOT. This is a mitochondrial enzyme that is also present in heart, muscle, kidney and brain therefore it is less specific

Interpretation Of Lab Results

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