The Only Diagnostic Lab Book You'll Ever Need

Dedication
Preface
Contents
An Introduction, Because Every Book Should Have One
Section One: Finding the Sweet Spot
Chapter 1 Bayesian Thinking
Chapter 2 Moving the Needle: Sensitivity, Specificity, Predictive Values, and Likelihood Ratios
Chapter 3 Four Things That Matter
Understand the Meaning of “Normal” and “Abnormal”
Order Only Tests That Will Change or Guide Your Management
Consider Cost and Invasiveness
Don’t Miss the Big Picture: How Sick Is Your Patient?
Section Two: Profiles and Panels: Common Lab Tests That Come in Families
Chapter 4 The Complete Blood Count
A Quick Overview
The Red Blood Cells
The White Blood Cells
Platelets
Chapter 5 The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Glucose, Electrolytes, and Kidney Function
Liver Function Tests
Total Protein, Albumin, and Globulins
Calcium
Chapter 6 The Lipid Panel
Chapter 7 Thyroid Function Tests
Chapter 8 The Urinalysis
Chapter 9 Blood Gases
Arterial Versus Venous Blood Gases
Oxygenation
Lactate
CO2 and Ventilation
Acid-Base Balance
Numbers on a Blood Gas You Can (and Should) Generally Ignore
Chapter 10 Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
Chapter 11 Pleural Fluid
Chapter 12 Peritoneal (Ascitic) Fluid
Chapter 13 Synovial Fluid
Bonus Chapter: A Few Words About Notation
Section Three: Other Tests You Need to Know
Chapter 14 Infectious Diseases
Principles of Testing
Common Respiratory Pathogens
Epstein-Barr Virus
Cytomegalovirus
COVID-19
Tuberculosis
Fungal Diseases
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Vaginal Discharge
Tick-Borne Infections
A Few Words About Parasites
Childhood Infections
Anti-Streptococcal Antibodies: Acute Rheumatic Fever And Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis
Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases
Chapter 15 Cardiopulmonary Medicine
Cardiac Biomarkers
Natriuretic Peptides (B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Atrial Natriuretic Peptide)
D-Dimer
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
Chapter 16 Gastroenterology
Common Stool Studies
Celiac Disease
Helicobacter Pylori
Pancreatitis: Lipase and Amylase
Gastrin and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
Chapter 17 Hepatology
Viral Hepatitis
Autoimmune and Metabolic Liver Disease
Acute Liver Failure, Hepatic Encephalopathy, and Ammonia
Chapter 18 Nephrology and Urology
Urine Electrolytes
Kidney Stones: Metabolic Evaluation
Chapter 19 Endocrinology
Hyperglycemia, Diabetes, and Hypoglycemia
More Thyroid Tests
Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis
The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System
Testosterone, Estrogen, and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis
Prolactin
Catecholamines and Metanephrines
Growth Hormone And Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1
17-Hydroxyprogesterone and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Semen Analysis
Pregnancy Testing
Anti-Müllerian Hormone
Markers of Bone Turnover
Chapter 20 Hematology/Oncology
Iron Studies
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) And Folate
Hemolysis
Flow Cytometry
Serum Protein Electrophoresis, Urine Protein Electrophoresis, Serum Free Light Chains, and Immunoelectrophoresis
Intrinsic Red Blood Cell Disorders
Tests of Hemostasis and Abnormal Bleeding
Hypercoagulable Disorders
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Blood Typing
Tumor Lysis Syndrome
Cancer Screening
The Porphyrias
Chapter 21 Neurology
The Laboratory in Neurologic Disease
Chapter 22 Rheumatology
Autoimmune Disorders: Principles of Testing
Antinuclear Antibodies
Rheumatoid Factor and Anti–Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies
HLA-B27 and Spondyloarthritis
Crystalline Arthritis: Gout and Pseudogout
Muscle Enzymes and Myositis
Vasculitis-Associated Antibodies
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and C-Reactive Protein
Chapter 23 Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Toxicology
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Chapter 24 Odds and Ends
Routine Health Maintenance
Preoperative Evaluation
The Patient with Multiple Unexplained Symptoms
Section Four: Wrapping Things Up
Index

Concise, conversational, and easy to use at any level of healthcare experience, The Only Diagnostic Lab Book You’ll Ever Need clarifies the when, where, who, and how of diagnostic laboratory testing to help users make informed testing decisions and draw confident clinical conclusions.  

This approachable how-to guide focuses on the most commonly encountered profiles in everyday healthcare practice, regardless of specialty, making it the ideal introduction for PAs, nurses, NPAs and medical students embarking on their healthcare education, as well as residents, fellows, and practicing clinicians looking for a fast refresher. Straightforward, clinically oriented coverage walks users through selecting and employing the right diagnostic tests from the thousands available, accompanied by engaging case studies that strengthen clinical reasoning and streamline the effective application of lab results in the clinical decision-making process.  

• Concise, focused approach instills essential understanding and retention of the most commonly employed diagnostic tests for everyday clinical practice. 

• Streamlined coverage saves time with an emphasis on the most frequently encountered presentations and disorders.  

• Case Studies provide critical practice making informed testing decisions for realistic clinical scenarios.