The Laboratory Test Handbook bridges the gap between the practice of medicine and the clinical laboratory. This encyclopedic resource addresses questions laboratory workers have on the background and role of the procedures they perform. It also addresses the needs of other practicing healthcare providers who require a source of information about the laboratory and its results. This truly is a reference for all medical professionals who need rapid access to information about laboratory medicine.Lexi-Comp's Laboratory Test Handbook was originally developed through the efforts of a handful of community-based pathologists. Today's 5th edition represents contributions from over 50 medical professionals, reflecting state-of-the-art testing procedures available in contemporary medical practice. The organizational style of previous editions has been retained, presenting information about multiple aspects of each test, such as: when to order the test; what specimen to collect; patient preparation; how the test is commonly used; how to interpret the results; and, how useful the test is in practice. Features of this edition include: 960 tests; up to 25 fields of information per test; extensive cross-referencing of diseases and tests; acronyms and abbreviations glossary; key word index; alphabetical index; and, over 12,000 references to the medical literature.