Understanding GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase): A Laboratory Medicine Specialist’s Complete Guide Authored by a Board-Certified Laboratory Medicine Specialist (MD.PhD.), this guide covers everything clinicians and informed patients need to know about the GGT blood test — from its enzymatic basis to nuanced clinical interpretation in liver, biliary, and metabolic disease. Quick summary: GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase) is a…
Understanding Urinary Urea Nitrogen (UUN): A Laboratory Medicine Specialist’s Guide to Clinical Interpretation Written by a Board-Certified Laboratory Medicine Specialist (MD.PhD.), this comprehensive guide explains what the UUN test measures, why it matters in clinical practice, and how to correctly interpret elevated or decreased results in various patient scenarios. Quick summary: The Urinary Urea Nitrogen (UUN)…
High-Sensitivity Troponin-T (hs-TnT): A Laboratory Specialist’s Complete Guide to Interpretation Laboratory Medicine Specialist, MD.PhD. Updated 2026 As a Laboratory Medicine Specialist, I am frequently asked about the single most important blood test we run in the emergency evaluation of chest pain. The answer is unequivocal: the high-sensitivity Troponin-T (hs-TnT) assay. This test has transformed how we diagnose…
Understanding Bilirubin Tests (Total, Direct & Indirect): A Laboratory Medicine Specialist’s Complete Guide Introduction This article is written by a Laboratory Medicine Specialist (MD.PhD.) to provide clinically accurate, evidence-based information on bilirubin testing. Bilirubin testing is one of the most fundamental panels in laboratory medicine, ordered daily in virtually every clinical setting — from emergency…
Learn the essential differences between BNP and NT-proBNP, including how they are produced, normal ranges, diagnostic cutoffs, and what elevated levels mean in heart failure and other conditions.
Procalcitonin (PCT) Test: A Specialist’s Complete Guide to Sepsis Diagnosis and Antibiotic Stewardship By Laboratory Medicine Specialist, MD.phD. Quick summary: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a blood biomarker that rises sharply and specifically in bacterial infections and sepsis, while remaining low in viral illnesses — making it one of the most clinically valuable tools for guiding antibiotic decisions…
CRP (C-Reactive Protein) Test: A Specialist’s Guide to Understanding Inflammation Markers By Laboratory Medicine Specialist, MD.phD. Quick summary: The CRP (C-reactive protein) test is a blood test that measures a key marker of inflammation produced by the liver. It rises sharply within hours of infection, injury, or inflammatory disease — making it one of the most…
CRP vs. hs-CRP: A Laboratory Medicine Specialist’s Guide to Understanding the Difference Written by a Laboratory Medicine Specialist, MD.phD. Introduction As a Laboratory Medicine Specialist, one of the most common questions I receive from clinicians and patients alike is: “What is the difference between CRP and hs-CRP — aren’t they the same thing?” They measure…
Understanding Serum Amyloid A (SAA): A Specialist’s Guide to This Rapid Inflammatory Marker As a specialist in Laboratory Medicine, I closely monitor biomarkers that allow for the earliest possible detection of disease. While C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is the household name for inflammation, Serum Amyloid A (SAA) is often the “hidden gem” of the clinical lab….
