What Is A Lab Test

Rocky Mountain Oncology offers an in-house laboratory for your convenience, providing diagnostic services throughout the course of your treatment and follow-up.

What is a Laboratory Test?

A laboratory (lab) test is a procedure where a sample of blood, urine, or other substance is removed from a patient and evaluated by a lab technician or physician to see if the characteristics of the patient’s sample closely resemble those of other normal, healthy patients.

Why are Lab Tests conducted?

To detect subtle changes as a part of a routine check-up before a patient develops symptoms of a disease
To find clues that may indicate the reason a patient is experiencing symptoms
To determine which treatment may be appropriate for a patient
To verify that a treatment has been effective
To monitor the course of a disease to see if it has progressed, stabilized or regressed
To establish baseline measurements prior to beginning treatment so that future tests can be compared to the original

How should I Prepare for Labwork?

Different laboratory tests may require specific preparatory instructions. For example, some tests may require that a patient refrain from eating for several hours before the test. Others may require that a patient increase or decrease the intake of fluids. If you are going to have labwork conducted, please ask your physician or nurse to clarify the specific instructions for the tests that have been ordered.

How Do I know if a Lab is Normal?

For each lab test that is conducted, a reference range, or a range of normal values for healthy individuals, has been established. If a patient’s results fall outside of that range, it may indicate that further testing or evaluation is needed. Because everyone is different, individual patients’ lab values will vary based on factors such as age, race, gender, medical history, and current medications.

What if My Labs are Abnormal?

The significance of an abnormal laboratory finding depends on the specific test that was conducted. All lab results must be interpreted in the context of your overall health as well as other exams or tests. The physician who is familiar with your medical history and current condition will be most qualified to interpret the test results and discuss their relevance with you. Feel free to discuss any questions or concerns you have regarding your test results with your physician.