PML-RARA (promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor alpha) is a specific abnormal rearrangement of genetic material from two separate chromosomes (translocation). A PML-RARA test is used to help diagnose acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is used as a tumor marker to help detect and diagnose cancers of the liver, testicles, and ovaries. An AFP test may be ordered, along with imaging studies, to try to detect liver cancer when it is in its earliest and most treatable stages.
Severe allergic reactions are dangerous and come on fast. Measuring blood levels of tryptase helps diagnose allergic shock as well as some rare blood diseases.
A pregnenolone test is usually used along with other tests involving hormones to diagnose rare forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in infants.
Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) is an abnormal form of prothrombin, a clotting factor produced by the liver. A DCP blood test may be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer.
Amniocentesis is a procedure to remove a small amount of fluid that surrounds a baby during pregnancy. It is often used to assess fetal health and development.
