Background Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a noninvasive test that was originally developed to visualize abnormalities of the small intestine but may now be used to diagnose and monitor various disease processes throughout the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The word “endoscopy”…
Background Gastric emptying study (GES) is a noninvasive nuclear medicine test used to evaluate patients with suspected gastric motility disorders. As its name suggests, it is used to determine the amount of time required for the stomach to empty after…
Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an invasive test used to visualize the common bile duct (CBD) and pancreatic duct for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in a variety of biliary and pancreatic disorders. The term endoscopic is derived from Greek…
Background An electroencephalography is a test to measure the electrical activities of the brain, allowing for the detection of abnormal brain activity. It is often abbreviated as EEG. The suffix “-graphy” (“G”) refers to the presentation of the results found…
Background An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a noninvasive test that provides a visual representation of the electrical conduction of the heart. It is called EKG because the test produces a “-gram” (something written or drawn—e.g., telegram, diagram—the “G”) of the electrical…
Background Echocardiography uses ultrasound imaging to visualize the structures of the heart. An ultrasound machine uses an electrical pulse that causes a sound wave that courses through tissue and results in an image based on the variable conductance through different…
Background The dexamethasone suppression test (DST), low-dose DST, overnight DST, or 1-mg DST is a dynamic endocrine test in which hormone levels are evaluated based on the principles of biofeedback regulation. , A suppression test, in general, involves giving the…
Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been around for as long as humans have had urinary tracts. Hippocrates believed that symptoms were caused by an imbalance of four humors. Ancient treatment regimens in the pre-antibiotic era ranged from bed rest…
Background A sputum culture is often a noninvasive and most useful test in the assessment of lower respiratory tract infections. Sputum samples can be useful in other disease states such as certain cancers; however, sampling is predominately useful for infectious…
Background Blood culture is the most efficient way of identifying organisms in the blood. For someone who does not have an infection, blood should always be sterile. The most common organisms identified in the blood are bacteria and fungi, and…