Laboratory language describes materials, methods, people and systems. These definitions explain how the words are used in this guide. The clinical departments page puts many of them into a working laboratory setting, while molecular diagnostics follows DNA-based methods in more detail.
A
- Accreditation
- Recognition of an education program by an accrediting organization. NAACLS accredits clinical laboratory science and related education programs and publishes standards for programs in its scope.
- Analyte
- The substance a laboratory method is designed to detect or measure. An analyte can be a protein or another kind of molecule, depending on the test and its design.
- Antibody
- An immune-system protein that recognizes particular parts of an antigen and can bind to them. Laboratory methods use this selective binding to help detect substances in a sample.
- Antigen
- A molecule, or part of a molecule, that can bind to a specific antibody or immune-cell receptor. Antigens can occur on normal cells as well as on microorganisms.
- Automated analyzer
- An instrument that carries out laboratory measurements with limited manual assistance. Automation can process samples efficiently, while qualified laboratory professionals still evaluate the results and attend to the equipment.
Sources: NAACLS accreditation · Immunoassay reference · Antibody reference · Antigen reference · Automated analyzer reference.
B
- Biosafety level
- A set of containment precautions used when working with biological agents in an enclosed laboratory. The designation concerns protective practices and facilities, rather than identifying an individual worker’s occupation.
- Blood bank
- A service concerned with storing blood and preparing it for transfusion. In a hospital, the term also covers the department that performs compatibility testing before blood is issued.
- Blood type
- A classification based on antigens present on or absent from blood cells. Laboratory blood typing identifies these characteristics as part of the work needed to assess transfusion compatibility.
Sources: Biosafety reference · Blood bank reference · American Red Cross blood types.
C
- CBC
- Short for complete blood count, a group of blood tests examining cells and related blood measurements. A differential adds information about the amounts of different white blood cell types.
- Centrifuge
- A device that spins a sample to separate components with different densities. In a laboratory tube, denser material can settle below less dense material, creating layers for further work.
- Certification
- A professional credential associated with meeting a certifying body’s requirements. Certification and state licensure are distinct matters, and the requirements described for laboratory scientists depend on the relevant organization and jurisdiction.
- CLIA
- The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments program, through which federal oversight sets requirements for human laboratory testing. Its quality standards concern accurate, reliable and timely results, with requirements related to test complexity.
- Clinical chemistry
- The laboratory discipline concerned with substances in body fluids and tissues, examined through chemical methods and specialized instruments. Glucose and other chemistry measurements belong to this area of laboratory work.
- Coagulation
- The process in which blood forms a clot. It involves platelets and proteins, including the formation of fibrin, and is studied in laboratory tests concerned with clotting function.
- Cross-matching
- A compatibility test performed before transfusion to assess a proposed blood pairing. It works alongside blood typing and antibody screening; in suitable circumstances the check can use electronic records.
- Culture
- A laboratory process used to grow microorganisms from a sample so they can be examined and identified. In bacterial culture testing, the kind of sample depends on the site under investigation.
- Cytogenetics
- The study of chromosomes and their relationship to cell behavior. Laboratory techniques in this field include arranging chromosome images and using stains or molecular methods to examine chromosome features.
- Cytology
- The study of cells. In diagnostic laboratory work, cell samples can be examined for changes associated with disease, while the related term histology refers to the study of tissue.
- Cytotechnologist
- A laboratory professional who prepares and examines cells for evidence of disease or other abnormalities. The work includes staining and mounting cell material and studying specimens according to established procedures.
Sources: MedlinePlus blood count · Centrifuge reference · Medical laboratory scientist reference · CMS laboratory oversight · Clinical chemistry reference · Coagulation reference · Compatibility testing reference · MedlinePlus bacteria culture · Cytogenetics reference · Cytopathology reference · O*NET cytotechnologist profile.
E
- ELISA
- An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a method using antibody binding and an enzyme-related signal to detect a substance. A color change can be the signal produced by the assay’s final reaction.
Sources: ELISA reference.
G
- Gram stain
- A staining method that helps group bacteria according to color reaction and shape. It supplies an early description of organisms in a sample, which can be followed by culture and other tests.
Sources: MedlinePlus Gram stain.
H
- Hematology
- The field concerned with blood and its disorders. In the laboratory, its subject matter includes blood cells, hemoglobin and clotting, with analysis performed by medical laboratory scientists or technologists.
- Histology
- The study of tissue at a microscopic level. It examines structures too small to see without magnification, while the related field of histopathology focuses on diseased tissue and its features.
- Histotechnologist
- A laboratory professional who processes tissue and prepares slides for microscopic examination by a pathologist. Technical work can also include evaluating procedures and solving instrument or preparation problems.
- Hormone
- A chemical messenger that helps regulate activity in organs or tissues. Hormones include different kinds of molecules, so sharing the role of messenger does not mean they share the same chemical structure.
Sources: Hematology reference · Histology reference · O*NET histotechnologist profile · Hormone reference.
I
- Immunoassay
- A test using the binding of antibodies and antigens to detect or measure a substance. The substance being measured is the analyte, and different assay designs produce different kinds of signals.
- Immunohematology
- The study of antigen–antibody reactions as they relate to blood and transfusion. Laboratory work in this field includes blood typing, antibody identification and cross-matching for compatibility assessment.
Sources: Immunoassay reference · Immunohematology reference.
L
- Laboratory information system
- Software supporting laboratory workflow, sample tracking and data handling. The related terms laboratory information system and laboratory information management system can describe systems with different combinations of functions.
Sources: Laboratory information systems reference.
M
- Mass spectrometry
- An analytical method that measures ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio. The resulting pattern can help establish the identity or structure of molecules in a pure sample or complex mixture.
- Medical laboratory scientist
- A professional who performs diagnostic testing on body fluids and other specimens. The work extends beyond measurement to sample quality, instrument performance, records and delivery of results to health care professionals.
- Medical laboratory technician
- A professional who performs routine medical laboratory tests and may work under a technologist’s supervision. Tasks include blood counts, chemical testing and quality control activities that support dependable laboratory results.
- Metabolic panel
- A group of blood chemistry tests reported together. A basic metabolic panel includes measurements associated with metabolism, body fluids and kidney function; a comprehensive panel includes additional chemistry measurements.
- Microbiology
- The study of microorganisms. Medical microbiology applies that field to infectious disease and examines agents such as bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses, using laboratory methods to study their characteristics.
- Molecular diagnostics
- A group of testing techniques that examines biological markers using molecular biology. The field includes analysis of genetic material and proteins, rather than relying only on cell appearance or bulk chemistry.
Sources: Mass spectrometry reference · Medical laboratory scientist reference · O*NET technician profile · MedlinePlus metabolic panel · Medical microbiology reference · Molecular diagnostics reference.
N
- Newborn screening
- A public health screening program examining newborns for certain conditions. Laboratory testing of dried blood spots forms part of the program, alongside screening methods that do not use blood samples.
Sources: NICHD newborn screening.
P
- Pathologist
- A physician who diagnoses disease using organs, tissues, body fluids and laboratory tests. Pathologists work with findings produced by laboratory professionals and may examine material directly as part of diagnostic evaluation.
- Peptide hormone
- A hormone made from a chain of amino acids. These molecules belong to a different chemical class from steroid hormones, even though both classes carry messages between cells and tissues.
- Phlebotomy
- The collection of blood through a puncture in a vein. In laboratory testing, this is part of obtaining the specimen that will later be processed, measured and reported by laboratory staff.
- Plasma
- The liquid part of blood apart from its cells. It contains water, proteins and other dissolved substances, including clotting factors, and can be separated from blood collected with an anticoagulant.
- Point-of-care testing
- Medical testing performed at or near the place where care is given. The term describes the testing location, in contrast with sending the specimen to a central medical laboratory.
- Polymerase chain reaction
- A laboratory method that makes many copies of a selected DNA sequence. Repeated temperature changes support the copying process, allowing small amounts of genetic material to be studied further.
- Pre-analytical phase
- The part of testing before the measurement itself. Errors can arise during this portion of the testing process, so laboratory quality involves more than checking the performance of the analytical instrument.
- Public health laboratory
- A laboratory serving population health through work such as detecting health threats and examining environmental or food-related hazards. Public health laboratory systems include specialized disciplines working toward shared surveillance and response purposes.
Sources: O*NET pathologist profile · Peptide hormone reference · Phlebotomy reference · Blood plasma reference · Point-of-care testing reference · PCR reference · Laboratory testing process review · APHL laboratory systems.
Q
- Quality control
- The review of factors involved in a process to assess whether quality requirements are met. It concerns how dependable work is achieved, rather than simply checking the finished result in isolation.
Sources: Quality control reference.
R
- Reference range
- A set of comparison values used when health professionals interpret a laboratory result. Ranges can vary between laboratories, and a result outside a range does not by itself establish a diagnosis.
Sources: MedlinePlus result interpretation.
S
- Serology
- The study of antibodies in serum and other body fluids. Serological methods can also identify antigens, using reactions that help examine immune responses or characterize blood groups and infectious agents.
- Serum
- The fluid remaining after blood has clotted and the cells and clotting material have been separated. It contains many dissolved substances and is used for laboratory measurements and blood typing.
- Specimen
- Material collected for laboratory examination, such as blood, urine or tissue. The word identifies what is tested, while the test or method describes what the laboratory does with that material.
Sources: Serology reference · Serum reference · Medical laboratory reference.
T
- Troponin
- A protein found in heart muscle cells and measured in blood by a troponin test. The term names the substance being measured; it does not name a laboratory occupation or department.
Sources: MedlinePlus troponin test.
U
- Urinalysis
- A group of examinations of urine, including its visible characteristics, chemical properties and microscopic contents. Cells, crystals and other structures may be examined alongside results from chemical test strips.
Sources: Urinalysis reference.
V
- Venipuncture
- Accessing a vein, including for the purpose of obtaining a blood sample. In laboratory testing, it is a collection procedure performed by trained health personnel, rather than the analysis of the sample itself.
Sources: Venipuncture reference.
The blood testing guide connects the vocabulary of cells, chemistry and hormones with the methods used to measure them.