Medical Procedures

Questions to ask before undergoing a medical procedure:

• What is the purpose of this test?
• Are there any alternatives?
• Is this an outpatient or inpatient procedure?
• Can I anticipate any pain, discomfort, or claustrophobia?
• Can I take medication to make me more comfortable?
• How much does the procedure cost, and is it covered by my health insurance?
• Will I get a copy of the test results, and what will a physician’s interpretation tell me about my condition?

Medical Procedures:

• Abdominal Angiogram
• ANCA tests
• Brain Biopsy
• Complete Blood Count
• C–reactive protein (CRP)
• CT Scan
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• Kidney Biopsy
• Lung Biopsy
• Plasmapheresis
• Skin Biopsy
• Sural Nerve Biopsy 
• Temporal Artery Biopsy
• Urinalysis 

Result Ranges for Common Blood Tests:

Click here to see a table that shows result ranges for common blood tests. Some of the normal ranges are different for men and women. Other factors, such as age and race, also may affect normal ranges. Your doctor should discuss your results with you. He or she will advise you further if your results are outside the normal range for your group.

Click here to learn more about specific diagnostic procedures.

Click here for more information from Medline Plus. MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Preformulated MEDLINE searches are included in MedlinePlus and give easy access to medical journal articles. MedlinePlus also has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.