The Patient’s Guide to Medical Tests: Everything You Need to Know About the Tests Your Doctor Orders

Organized alphabetically, this comprehensive guide provides information on more than 1000 commonly prescribed tests, including the CAT scan, MRI, PSA blood test for prostate, HIV test, mammography, fetal monitoring, and the pulmonary function test. Each entry includes a description of the test, patient preparation required, a description of the procedure itself, the reference range, what abnormal values may signify, and the cost of each test. An extensive glossary of medical terms translates professional terminology into accessible language, as does an appendix on medical abbreviations and symbols.