🔬   Investigations — Tests & Scans

Tests & Scans

Understand the blood tests, urine tests, imaging scans and other diagnostic investigations your doctor orders — what each test involves, what it measures, and what the results mean.

🩺 Dr. Seneth Gajasinghe — MBBS (Col) — MD (Col)
🏥 A Sineth Hospitals Health Education Project

Why Understanding Investigations Helps

When your doctor orders a test, understanding what it is and what it measures reduces anxiety, helps you prepare appropriately, and enables you to understand your results and ask the right questions.

Health Education by Sineth Hospitals explains the most common investigations used in clinical practice — from routine blood tests to advanced imaging — in clear, accessible English.

⚠️   Important: Test results should always be interpreted by your doctor in the context of your full clinical picture. This information is for education only.
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Laboratory Tests
Blood, urine and other lab tests — what they measure, normal reference ranges and what abnormal results may indicate.
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Imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI)
How imaging investigations work, what they show, and how they help doctors diagnose conditions.
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Reading Results
Understanding reference ranges, High/Low/Normal flags and what your results mean in plain English.

Investigation Articles

Select an investigation below and read the full article.

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Complete Blood Count (CBC) Explained: Understanding Your Blood Test Report
Laboratory · Haematology · CBC · Hemoglobin · WBC · Platelets · MCV
🧮 Try the CBC Report Reader →
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Dengue NS1 Test Explained: Timing, Accuracy, Positive and Negative Results
Laboratory · Dengue · NS1 Antigen · IgM · IgG · Infectious Disease
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Dengue IgM Antibody Test Explained: Positive and Negative Results
Laboratory · Dengue · IgM Antibody · Dengue Serology · Infectious Disease
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Dengue IgG Antibody Test Explained: Positive and Negative Results
Laboratory · Dengue · IgG Antibody · Past Infection · Dengue Serology · Infectious Disease
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NS1 vs IgM vs IgG Explained: Which Dengue Blood Test Is Right?
Laboratory · Dengue · NS1 · IgM · IgG · Dengue Diagnosis · Infectious Disease
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Low Hemoglobin (Anemia): What Does a Low Hb Blood Test Mean?
Laboratory · Haematology · CBC · Anemia · Iron Deficiency
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FBS Test (Fasting Blood Sugar)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes
🧮 Try the FBS Reader →
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How Many Hours to Fast for FBS Test? (8-10 Hours Explained)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes Screening · FBS Preparation
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FBS vs PPBS: What's the Difference?
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes Screening · Blood Sugar Tests
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Liver Profile (LFT) Explained: AST, ALT, Bilirubin, ALP, GGT & Albumin
Complete guide to liver profile patterns including hepatocellular, cholestatic and protein abnormalities.
🧮 Try the Liver Profile Report Reader →
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AST (SGOT) & ALT (SGPT) Blood Tests
Purpose, preparation, fasting guidance and result reporting before testing.
🧮 Try the AST/ALT Report Reader →
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Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin & A/G Ratio Explained
Understand protein-related liver profile results including albumin, globulin and the A/G ratio.
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Bilirubin Test Explained: Total, Direct & Indirect Bilirubin
Understand bilirubin, jaundice and common high bilirubin patterns in a liver profile.
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ALP & GGT Explained: Cholestasis and Bile Flow Problems
Interpret high ALP, high GGT, gallstones, obstruction and cholestatic liver profile patterns.
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PT/INR Explained: Blood Clotting, Liver Function and Liver Disease
Laboratory • Liver Synthetic Function • Clotting
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Serum Creatinine Test Explained
Laboratory · Kidney Function · Renal Profile
🧮 Try the Serum Creatinine Report Reader →
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High Creatinine, eGFR & Kidney Function
Laboratory · Kidney Function · Creatinine Results
🧮 Try the Kidney Function Report Reader →
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eGFR Explained: Kidney Function & CKD Stages
Laboratory · Kidney Function · CKD Stages · eGFR Calculator
🧮 Try the eGFR Calculator →
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Urine Albumin and ACR Test Explained
Laboratory · Kidney Health · Microalbuminuria · Albuminuria
🧮 Try the Urine ACR Report Reader →
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High AST & ALT (SGOT/SGPT): Causes, Levels and Next Steps
Interpret elevated liver enzymes by level, trend, ratio, causes and red flags.
🧮 Try the AST/ALT Report Reader →
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PPBS Test (Postprandial Blood Sugar)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes
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PPBS in Pregnancy
Laboratory · Antenatal Care · Gestational Diabetes
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3 PPBS Test (Full-Day Blood Sugar Profile)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes Monitoring
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Blood Sugar Series Test
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes Monitoring
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OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes · Gestational Diabetes
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Liver Function Test (LFT)
Laboratory · Hepatic
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RFT / Renal Function Test
Doctor wrote RFT? Learn what the term may include, how to prepare and how to identify the tests on your report.
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Chest X-Ray
Imaging · Radiology
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Ultrasound Scan
Imaging · Radiology
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MRI Scan
Imaging · Radiology
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CT Scan
Imaging · Radiology
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ECG (Electrocardiogram)
Cardiac Investigations
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Echocardiogram (Echo)
Cardiac Investigations
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Urine Full Report (UFR) / Urinalysis Explained
Laboratory · Renal · UTI Clues
🧮 Try the Urinalysis Report Reader →
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Blood Urea / BUN Test Explained
Laboratory · Kidney Function · Blood Urea · BUN
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Renal Profile / Kidney Profile
Understand the tests on a renal profile, how to prepare, and what creatinine, eGFR, urea and electrolyte results mean.
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Serum Electrolytes Test
Understand sodium, potassium and chloride results and what high or low levels may mean.
🧮 Try the Electrolyte Result Interpreter →
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Uric Acid Blood Test
Understand high and low uric acid results and their links with gout, kidney stones and kidney function.
🧮 Try the Uric Acid Result Interpreter →
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Serum Calcium Test
Understand total, ionized and adjusted calcium and what high or low calcium results may mean.
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Serum Phosphate / Phosphorus Test
Understand high and low phosphate results and their relationship with calcium, kidneys, vitamin D and PTH.
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Vitamin D Blood Test
Understand 25-hydroxyvitamin D, what low or high results may mean, and how vitamin D relates to calcium and bone health.
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Serum Magnesium Test
Understand what low or high magnesium results may mean and how magnesium relates to potassium, calcium and kidney function.
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Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Test
Understand high and low PTH results and why parathyroid hormone should usually be interpreted together with calcium.
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Ferritin & Iron Studies
Understand ferritin, serum iron, transferrin, TIBC and transferrin saturation, including what high or low results may mean.
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Biopsy
Histopathology
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Pulmonary Function Test (PFT)
Respiratory
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HbA1c Test (Glycated Haemoglobin)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes Monitoring
🧮 Try the HbA1c Report Reader →
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Normal Blood Sugar Levels: Complete Guide (mg/dL & mmol/L)
Laboratory · Endocrine · Diabetes · Prediabetes · Reference Ranges
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Blood Culture
Laboratory · Microbiology
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Lipid Profile Blood Test: Cholesterol, LDL, HDL and Triglycerides Explained
Understand total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol on your blood report.
🧮 Try the Lipid Profile Report Reader →
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Endoscopy
Gastrointestinal
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TSH Test Explained: What Does Your TSH Result Mean?
Laboratory · Endocrine · Thyroid · TSH · Hypothyroidism · Hyperthyroidism
🧮 Try the Thyroid Report Reader →
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High TSH Explained: Causes, Symptoms and What to Do Next
Laboratory · Endocrine · Thyroid · TSH · Hypothyroidism · Subclinical Hypothyroidism
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Low TSH Explained: Causes, Symptoms and What to Do Next
Laboratory · Endocrine · Thyroid · TSH · Hyperthyroidism · Subclinical Hyperthyroidism
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Thyroid FNAC Test: Why It Is Done, How It Is Performed and What Happens Next
Laboratory · Endocrine · Thyroid · FNAC · Fine Needle Aspiration · Thyroid Nodule · Thyroid Biopsy
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Free T4 & Free T3 Blood Test
Understand FT4 and FT3 results, what high or low levels may mean, and how thyroid hormones are interpreted together with TSH.
🧮 Try the Thyroid Report Reader →
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Dr. Seneth Gajasinghe
Expert Contributor to All Articles
MBBS (Col) · MD (Col) · SLMC No. 27329
All articles on Health Education are created with the expert input and medical oversight of Dr. Seneth Gajasinghe. As an SLMC-registered doctor, he ensures the accuracy, quality and clinical relevance of every article on this platform.
🩺 About the Doctor ›
A Sineth Hospitals Health Education Project
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Medical Disclaimer
The information on this website is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical advice.