Stanley Geyer

Yes, anemia can be diagnosed with a blood test. Several forms of anemia can be recognized by performing a complete blood count that evaluates the number of red blood cells, the size and appearance the the red blood cells, and the amount of hemoglobin (an oxygen-carrying substance) in the red blood cells. Abnormalities of these factors contribute to the diagnosis of certain types of anemia such as iron deficiency anemia, sickle cell anemia, pernicious anemia, and others.

=46rom the time the pathology laboratory receives the liver biopsy specimen until a report is issued with a diagnosis takes approximately 2 to 5 business days. Once the report is issued it is sent to the office of the physician who obtained the specimen.

Low creatinine levels may occur in people with loss of muscle mass, severe liver disease, pregnancy, or not enough protein in the diet. To fix low creatinine requires identifying the cause of correcting the underlying cause, if possible. Exercise may increase muscle mass and improve low creatinine levels. Vegetarians need to assure that they have enough protein in their diets. Consult with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or have liver disease.

If biopsy specimens are obtained during the colonoscopy procedure, the specimens, in most cases, are sent to the pathology laboratory the same day as the procedure. If the pathology laboratory receives the specimens during standard working hours, the specimens are processed the same day and slides are prepared the following day for inspection by the pathologist. If the pathology slides stained by the usual method provide a diagnosis, a report is issued that day or the following day (that is, one work day or two work days after the colonoscopy procedure). If the pathologist needs to perform additional studies to establish a diagnosis, the pathology report may not be prepared and finalized for several more working days.

No single test is the "best" test to determine prostate health. A prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is used to screen for prostate cancer. A PSA test that suggests the presence of cancer is followed by a tissue biopsy procedure and the tissue is examined by a pathologist who makes a diagnosis on the biopsied tissue specimen(s). A digital rectal examination detects enlargements in the prostate and can give the examiner clues about causes of enlargement, such a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or possible cancer, when a hard well-circumscribed nodule (lump) is present. Another test, uroflometry, measures rate of urine flow and helps identify individuals at risk of developing urinary retention.