Assays include:
CBC with differential
Complete Metabolic Panel (14)
Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-I)
Testosterone, Total serum
Thyroid Profile
The Complete Blood Count with Differential (CBC) screens for blood abnormalities including red and white blood cells and platelets. The CBC is used as a screening test to check for possible disorders such as anemia, infection, and many other diseases.
The Comprehensive Metabolic Profile (14) is a frequently ordered panel that gives your doctor important information about the current status of your kidneys, liver, and electrolyte and acid/base balance as well as of your blood sugar and blood proteins. The Complete Urinalysis Profile screens for a variety of conditions including urinary bladder disease, kidney disease and diabetes.
The measurement of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level in blood is a screening mechanism for asymptomatic and symptomatic men for prostate cancer in order to help determine the necessity for a biopsy of the prostate and also in order to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for prostate cancer, or to detect recurrence of prostate cancer. This test was developed as a tumor marker to screen for and to monitor prostate cancer. It is a very good tool, but not a perfect one. PSA levels are higher in those of African American heritage, and levels tend to increase in all men as they age.
Reference range values : <= 4.0 mcg/L or could be interpreted as <= 4.0 ng/ml
Abnormal findings: Patients with PSA level greater than 10mcg/L are at an increased risk for prostate cancer. Levels between 4 and 10 may indicate prostate cancer BPH, or prostatitis. These conditions are more common in the elderly, as is a general increase in PSA levels.
The Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) test is an indirect measure of the average amount of growth hormone (GH). IGF-1 and Growth Hormone (GH) are peptide hormones vital for normal bone and tissue growth and development. GH is produced by the pituitary gland, a grape-sized gland located at the base of the brain behind the bridge of your nose. IGF-1 is produced by the liver and to a lesser degree by skeletal muscles, primarily in response to GH stimulation.
This test is prescribed as part of an evaluation of pituitary function, when you have symptoms of slow growth, short stature, and delayed development or decreased bone density, reduced muscle strength, and increased lipids that suggest insufficient GH and IGF-1 production. Also when you have symptoms of gigantism (in children) or acromegaly (in adults) that suggest excess GH and IGF-1 production.
IGF-1 may be ordered with other pituitary hormone tests, such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), to help diagnose hypopituitarism. It may be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for growth hormone deficiencies and growth hormone insensitivity.
Testosterone, Total is the most potent, naturally secreted androgen. In postpubertal males, testosterone is secreted primarily by the testes with only a small amount derived from peripheral conversion of androstenedione. In adult women, it has been estimated that over 50 percent of serum testosterone is derived from the peripheral conversion of androstenedione secreted by the adrenal gland and ovary. The remainder is from the direct secretion of testosterone from these glands. The majority of circulating testosterone is bound by sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). A smaller portion is bound by albumin. Only 1-2 percent exists in the circulation as free or unbound testosterone. Testosterone is a steroid hormone. It is made by the testes in males. Its production is controlled by luteinizing hormone (LH), which is manufactured in the pituitary gland. In males, testosterone stimulates development of secondary sex characteristics. Testosterone is also produced by the adrenal glands in both males and females and by the ovaries in females. In women, testosterone is converted to estradiol, the main sex hormone in females.
The Thyroid Profile includes Free thyroxine index (FTI) , T3 uptake (THBR) and Thyroxine (T4)
Thyroid antibody testing is primarily ordered to help diagnose an autoimmune thyroid disease and to separate it from other forms of thyroiditis. It may be ordered to help investigate the cause of a goiter and/or performed as a follow-up when other thyroid test results (such as T3, T4, and/or TSH) show signs of thyroid dysfunction.
One or more thyroid antibody tests may also be ordered if a person with a known non-thyroid-related autoimmune condition, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or pernicious anemia, develops symptoms that suggest thyroid involvement. This involvement may occur at any time during the course of the other condition(s).
Thyroid antibody testing may also be ordered when a patient with another autoimmune disorder has symptoms of thyroid dysfunction and/or when she has reproductive difficulties that the doctor suspects may be associated with autoantibodies.