Laboratory testing is a science professionally conducted with rigorous statistical analysis, quality controls, and extensive oversight. Medical testing is an important component in the diagnostic tool kit of a health care provider. However, it is most reliable when used in conjunction with other meaningful data collected in the diagnostic process and appropriate questions are asked and answered.

You can put great trust in the data generated by today’s exacting medical tests. A caveat to remember is that a diagnosis and treatment plan for a serious disease should never be based on a single medical test. Test findings are just one of the pieces of the diagnostic puzzle. Help your health care provider with the interpretation of the data by providing thorough information on your medical history and keeping track of symptoms you wish to report. To reduce the chance that you are improperly diagnosed and given potentially harmful and unnecessary medical procedures, first follow test preparation instructions carefully and tell your doctor and the person collecting your sample about any exceptions you made.