Fever Of Unknown Origin (FUO) : Tests

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Few symptoms in medicine present such a diagnostic challenge as fever. Nonetheless, if a careful, logical, and thorough evaluation is performed, the underlying cause generally can be diagnosed. The child's medical history is first reviewed along w...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Few symptoms in medicine present such a diagnostic challenge as fever. Nonetheless, if a careful, logical, and thorough evaluation is performed, a diagnosis will be found in most cases. The patient's past medical history as well as travel, social,...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
This is a blood test to measure the presence of antinuclear antibody.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 27, 2007
The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is a test done early in the evaluation of a person for autoimmune or rheumatic disease, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Purpose In autoimmune diseases, the body makes antibodies that work against its own cells or tissues.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
ASO titer is a blood test to measure anti-streptolysin O (ASO) antibodies .
Source:ADAM
Date:May 29, 2007
A blood culture is a test to determine if microorganisms such as bacteria, mycobacteria, or fungus are present in the blood. A sample of blood is put in a special laboratory preparation and is incubated in a controlled environment for 1 to 7 days.
Source:ADAM
Date:December 3, 2007
A blood culture is done when a person has symptoms of a blood infection, also called bacteremia . Blood is drawn from the person one or more times and is tested in a laboratory to find and identify any microorganism present and growing in the blood.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A blood culture is a lab test designed to detect the presence of bacteria , yeast, or fungi in the bloodstream. A routine blood culture involves injecting a sample of the patient's blood into two bottles of sterile nutrient broth (one for aerobes and one for anaerobes), incubating the bottles at 35DEGTAGC, and monitoring the bottles for growth over a period of five days.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Fever evaluation tests, better known as febrile agglutinins tests, are performed to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood that are sensitive to temperature changes. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to specific infectious agents, such as viruses or bateria.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Bone marrow is soft tissue found inside some of the larger bones in the body. The marrow produces platelets and red and white blood cells. A biopsy is a method of removing a small tissue sample from the body to have it examined under a microscope and possibly analyzed by other tests.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 8, 2007
A bone scan is a test that detects areas of increased or decreased bone metabolism (turnover). The test is performed to identify abnormal processes involving the bone such as tumor, infection, or fracture.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 22, 2006
A bone scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure used to evaluate abnormalities involving bones and joints. A radionuclide is injected intravenously, and its distribution in the skeletal system is analyzed to detect certain diseases or conditions.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
A bone scan is an imaging test that uses a special camera to form images of your bones. It is used to diagnose bone problems, such as fractures, cancer, or infections, and joint problems such as arthritis. It is also used to check joint replacements.
Source:StayWell
A bone scan is a diagnostic procedure used to evaluate abnormalities involving bones and joints. A radioactive substance is injected intravenously, and the image of its distribution in the skeletal system is analyzed to detect certain diseases or conditions.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
This is an analysis of blood to detect the presence of antibodies against Brucella (the bacteria that causes the disease brucellosis ).
Source:ADAM
Date:November 1, 2007
Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by members of the Brucella genus that can infect humans but primarily infects livestock. Symptoms of the disease include intermittent fever , sweating, chills, aches, and mental depression.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Brucellosis, a zoonosis, is a bacterial infection, mainly of cows and goats, but with humans as alternative hosts. The causative organisms, Brucella abortus or Brucella melitensis , are small gram-negative bacilli that are difficult to cultivate, though they can be isolated from blood culture in the acute and sometimes in the chronic phase.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following: The number of red blood cells (RBCs) The number of white blood cells (WBCs) The total amount of hemoglobin in the blood The fraction of the blood composed of red blood cells ( hematocrit ) The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) -- the size of the red blood cells CBC also includes information about the red blood cells that is calculated from the other measurements: MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin) MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) The platelet count is also usually included in the CBC.
Source:ADAM
Date:September 11, 2006
One of the most commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests, a blood count, also called a complete blood count (CBC), is a basic evaluation of the cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) suspended in the liquid part of the blood (plasma). It involves determining the numbers, concentrations, and conditions of the different types of blood cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
The clinical laboratory test that evaluates the three main cellular components of peripheral blood (red cells, white cells, and platelets) is called the " complete blood count " (CBC). It is used commonly to assess whether a patient is anemic (low red cell count), has an infection (increased white blood cells), or has abnormal blood coagulation (platelet levels).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 18, 2007
A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs, heart, small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland and the bones of the chest area.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Detailed information on chest x-rays, including reasons for the procedure
Source:StayWell
A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs, heart, small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland, and the bones of the chest area.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs , heart , small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, and the bones of the chest area.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
An abdominal CT scan involves X-ray images of the abdomen from many angles. The X-ray beams are detected by the scanner and analyzed by a computer. The computer reconstructs the data into a picture of the body area being scanned. These images can be viewed on a monitor or reproduced as photographs.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 24, 2007
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common human virus. Antibodies to CMV are evidence of a current or past infection.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
The CMV serology test determines the presence of antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the blood.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 1, 2007
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common human virus. When first exposed to CMV, a healthy person's immune system is triggered and quickly makes antibodies to fight the virus.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Electrolytes are positively and negatively charged molecules, called ions, that are found within cells, between cells, in the bloodstream, and in other fluids throughout the body. Electrolytes with a positive charge include sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium; the negative ions are chloride, bicarbonate, and phosphate.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Electrolytes are positively or negatively charged particles that readily dissolve in water. The predominant positively charged electrolytes in the body are sodium, potassium, calcium , and magnesium, while negatively charged electrolytes include chloride, phosphates, and bicarbonate.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Electrolytes are positively and negatively charged molecules called ions, that are found within the body ' s cells and extracellular fluids, including blood plasma. A test for electrolytes includes the measurement of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
Electrolytes are positively and negatively charged ions that are found within the cells and extracellular fluids, including blood plasma. A test for electrolytes includes the measurement of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) is a nonspecific screening test for various diseases. This 1-hour test measures the distance (in millimeters) that red blood cells settle in unclotted blood toward the bottom of a specially marked test tube.
Source:ADAM
Date:June 18, 2007
The sedimentation rate test, also called the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or sed rate test, measures the speed at which the red blood cells (erythrocytes or RBCs) separate from the liquid part of the blood (plasma) and settle to the bottom in a tube of anticoagulated blood. Purpose The sedimentation rate is a non-specific indicator of the presence of inflammation or infection .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), or sedimentation rate (sed rate), is a measure of the settling of red blood cells in a tube of blood during one hour. The rate is an indication of inflammation and increases in many diseases.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body) Palpation (feeling the body with hands) Auscultation (listening to sounds) Percussion (producing sounds)
Source:ADAM
Date:January 22, 2007
AIDS tests, short for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome tests, cover a number of different procedures used in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV patients. These tests are sometimes called AIDS serology tests.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
AIDS tests, short for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome tests, cover a number of different procedures used in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV-infected patients. Tests that measure antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are called AIDS serology tests.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Mononucleosis spot test detects the presence of heterophile antibodies . Heterophile antibodies are antibodies that non-specifically react against different proteins and are useful in the diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis.
Source:ADAM
Date:June 18, 2007
Infectious mononucleosis is a contagious illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which can affect the liver, lymph nodes, and oral cavity. While mononucleosis is not usually a serious disease, its primary symptoms of fatigue and lack of energy can linger for several months.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Infectious mononucleosis (IM) tests detect the presence or absence of antibodies in the blood stream directed against proteins of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), the cause of IM. Purpose Infectious mononucleosis tests are used to diagnose infectious mononucleosis in patients with symptoms compatible with the disease.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Detailed information on infectious mononucleosis, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and transmission
Source:StayWell
The liver is a pyramid-shaped organ that lies within the upper right side of the abdomen. In a typical liver biopsy, a needle is inserted through the rib cage or abdominal wall and into the liver to obtain a sample for examination. The procedure can also be performed by inserting a needle into the jugular vein in the neck and passing a catheter through the veins down to the liver to obtain the sample.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 22, 2007
A liver biopsy is a medical procedure performed to obtain a small piece of liver tissue for diagnostic testing. The sample is examined under a microscope by a doctor who specializes in the effects of disease on body tissues (a pathologist) to detect abnormalities of the liver.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Liver BiopsyBefore the liver biopsy, ask your doctor any questions you have.During aliver biopsy,a needle is inserted through the skin(percutaneous)and into the liver. A small sample of liver tissue is then removed and sent to a lab to be examined...
Source:StayWell
A liver biopsy is a medical procedure performed to obtain a small piece of liver tissue for diagnostic testing. Liver biopsies are sometimes called percutaneous liver biopsies, because the tissue sample is obtained by going through the patient ' s skin.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
A liver biopsy is a medical procedure performed to obtain a small piece of liver tissue for diagnostic testing. The sample is examined under a microscope by a pathologist, a doctor who specializes in the effects of disease on body tissues; in this case, to detect abnormalities of the liver.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
A liver biopsy is a medical procedure performed to obtain a small piece of liver tissue for diagnostic testing. Liver biopsies are sometimes called percutaneous liver biopsies, because the tissue sample is obtained by going through the patient ' s skin.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Understanding Liver BiopsyAliver biopsyis a special procedure that’s safe and quick. It can help your doctor assess the health of the liver.Who Needs a Liver Biopsy?
Source:StayWell
Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests for bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin, and ammonia, a protein byproduct that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys. LFTs also commonly include tests to measure levels of several enzymes, which are special proteins that help the body break down and use (metabolize) other substances.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Detailed information on the most common liver function tests, including serum bilirubin test, serum albumin test, serum alkaline phosphatase test, serum aminotransferases, prothrombin time test, alanine transaminase test, aspartate transaminase test, gamm
Source:StayWell
Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests that are routinely measured in all clinical laboratories. LFTs include bilirubin, a compound formed by the breakdown of hemoglobin; ammonia, a breakdown product of protein that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys; proteins that are made by the liver including total protein, albumin, prothrombin, and fibrinogen; cholesterol and triglycerides, which are made and excreted via the liver; and the enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests that are routinely measured in all clinical laboratories. LFTs include bilirubin, a compound formed by the catabolism of hemoglobin; ammonia, a product of protein catabolism that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys ; proteins that are made by the liver including total protein, albumin, prothrombin, and fibrinogen; cholesterol and triglycerides, which are made and excreted via the liver; and the enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
This blood test provides information about the number and shape of blood cells by visual inspection.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 22, 2007
A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breasts. It is used to find tumors and cysts , and to help tell the difference between noncancerous ( benign ) and cancerous (malignant) disease.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 17, 2007
Detailed information on mammography, including how a mammogram is performed, what conditions a mammogram shows, mammography guidelines, and the risk factors for breast cancer
Source:StayWell
Getting the Most From Your MammogramThere are lots of reasons for putting off a mammogram: You're nervous. You're shy.
Source:StayWell
Frequently asked questions about mammograms, including: "What are the benefits of screening mammography?", "Is there a risk of radiation exposure from having regular mammograms?", and "Are mammograms painful?"
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on mammography, including the different types of mammography, how one is performed, and recommended guidelines
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on mammography, including the different types of mammography, how one is performed, and recommended guidelines
Source:StayWell
Frequently asked questions about mammograms, including:
Source:StayWell
This low-dose X-ray produces an image of the inner structures of the breast. It can detect tiny calcium deposits or micro-calcifications that are too small to feel.
Source:StayWell
You say you feel great, but what do you really know about your health? To find out, get the screening tests you need.
Source:StayWell
Mammography: FDA Sets Higher StandardsJanie Pfefferkorn knows all too well the value of having a mammogram. She believes the procedure saved her life."
Source:StayWell
Good News In Breast-Cancer Detection, CareIf you think you've been hearing a lot more positive news about breast cancer care and prevention, you're right. And if you support prevention and research efforts, you're part of the reason."
Source:StayWell
Schedule the test for one week after your period, when your breasts are less tender. Make sure your clinic gets your last mammogram if it was done somewhere else. This lets the doctor compare the two.
Source:StayWell
FDA Sets Higher Standards for MammographyJanie Pfefferkorn knows all too well the value of having a mammogram. She believes the procedure saved her life."
Source:StayWell
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It can find changes in the breast when a lump is too small for you or your doctor to feel.
Source:StayWell
Remind your technologist that you have breast implants. Also mention if you are or think you might be pregnant, have had a breast biopsy or surgery, are breastfeeding or have moles on or near your breasts.
Source:StayWell
For women at high genetic risk, adding MRI screening to mammography may improve early detection of breast cancer.
Source:StayWell
This report provides information on using the latest detection methods, understanding your diagnosis, and choosing the most effective treatment.
Source:StayWell
Digital mammography is poised to replace the standard version, but studies show them to be about equal in effectiveness at detecting cancers, depending on age and breast density. Ultrasound and MRI are also useful tools for detection in some women.
Source:StayWell
Mammography is the study of the breast using x rays. The actual test is called a mammogram.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery
Mammography is the study of the breast using xrays. The actual test is called a mammogram.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Mammography is the study of the breast using x ray. The actual test is called a mammogram.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Mammography is the study of the breast using x ray . The actual test is called a mammogram.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
A mammogram is an X-ray examination of the breast, performed for screening or diagnostic purposes. A screening mammogram is used to detect breast cancer before it is clinically apparent.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
When having a mammogram, women with pacemakers should warn the technician about the device, because of the possibility that the procedure can damage or disconnect it.
Source:StayWell
An MRI of the head is a non-invasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Unlike conventional radiography and computed tomography (CT), which make use of potentially harmful x-rays passing through a patient to generate images, MRI imaging is based on the magnetic properties of atoms. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. The "nuclear" in the original name (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) -- now seldom used -- refers to the proton in the nucleus of the hydrogen atom and does not imply radioactivity. When focused short radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, they will return a signal of their own. The subtle differences in that signal from dissimilar tissues enables the MRI to differentiate between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant (cancerous) tissue. Any imaging plane, or slice, can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI is easily performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 25, 2006
Like all other parts of the body, the brain and central nervous system are made up of cells that ordinarily grow and divide to create new cells as needed. This is usually an orderly process; but when cells lose their ability to grow normally or to die off naturally, they divide too often and produce tumors that are made up of these extra cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Part of the central nervous system located in the skull. Controls mental and physical actions of the organism.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development that are present at birth. Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout the growth of a fetus.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Brain abscess is a bacterial infection within the brain. The brain is usually well insulated from infection by bacteria, protected by the skull, the meninges (tissue layers surrounding the brain), the immune system, and the highly regulated barrier between the bloodstream and the brain.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A brain biopsy is the removal of a small piece of brain tissue for the diagnosis of abnormalities of the brain, such as Alzheimer ' s disease , tumors, infection, or inflammation. Purpose By examining the tissue sample under a microscope, the biopsy sample provides doctors with the information necessary to guide diagnosis and treatment.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. Unlike other tumors, brain tumors spread by local extension and rarely metastasize (spread) outside the brain.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development. Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout the growth of a fetus.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
The brain is the part of the central nervous system located in the skull. It controls the mental processes and physical actions of a human being.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
The brain is a large mass of soft nervous tissue made up of both neurons and supporting glial cells lying within the cranium of the skull. The brain contains both gray and white matter.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners rely on the principles of atomic nuclear-spin resonance. Using strong magnetic fields and radio waves, MRI collects and correlates deflections caused by atoms into images.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of physical trauma to the head causing damage to the brain. This damage can be focal, or restricted to a single area of the brain, or diffuse, affecting more than one region of the brain.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
The brain is the part of the central nervous system (CNS) inside the skull (the part outside the skull is the spinal cord ). It gives rise to cognitive thought processes and controls various body functions including muscular activity, speech, sight, hearing , breathing, and digestion.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue, either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous), in the brain. Each year, more than 17,000 brain tumors are diagnosed in the United States.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health