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</ iframe > </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --><div id="header"> <div id="CClogo"><a href="https://www.cookchildrens.org"><span class="srText">Cook Children's</span></a></div> <div id="CCsearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="GET" onsubmit="return (this.q.value == '') ? false : true;" action="/CookChildrens/en/parents/"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/> <input type="hidden" name="getfields" value="description"/> <input type="search" class="search" name="q" id="q" maxlength="256" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" placeholder="Search"/> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="cookchildrens"> <input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"> <input type="hidden" name="lang" value="english"> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"> <input type="submit" value="" id="searchButton" class="buttonImage"/> </form> </div> </div> <!-- If we have main navigation separated then it will reside here --> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="rsSearchBrowse"> <div id="rsBrowse" role="navigation"> </div> <div id="rsSearch"> <div id="rsSectionLabel">parents</div> </div> </div> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar licH"> <h1>Types of Blood Tests</h1> </div> <div class="clearBox"> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="xp1"> </div><br clear="all" style="width: 0; height: 0; line-height: 0; font-size: 0;"><div id="khcontent_article" lang="en-us"> <div id="NavigatePage1"> <div id="whichRead_1"><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!-- The following article is brought to you by CookChildrens. --></span><div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"><script> var theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); var rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g,"_"); var whichReadPage = 1; var doesItGotFlash = ''; makeTheRSLinkEN(); var readSpeakerDownloadLink = "//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&voice=Kate&speed=100&readid=khcontent_article&url="+theRSURL+"&audiofilename=KidsHealth_"+rsAudioTitle+""; </script></div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip"><a href="/CookChildrens/es/parents/blood-test-types.html"><span class="pairedURLHead" lang="es">en español<img src="/images/n00/icons/langPairArrow.svg" alt=""></span><span class="pairedURLBody" lang="es">Tipos de análisis de sangre</span></a></div> <!--googleon:all--><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><h3>What Are Blood Tests?</h3><p>By taking and testing a small sample of a person’s blood, doctors can check for many kinds of diseases and conditions. Blood tests help doctors check how the body’s organs — such as the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart — are working, and see if medical treatments are helpful. </p><p>Most <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-tests.html">blood tests</a> take only a few minutes. They’re done at some doctor’s offices, and at community labs, diagnostic centers, and hospitals. A doctor, nurse, or phlebotomist (fleh-BOT-eh-mist, someone who is trained to take blood samples) will take the blood sample. Sometimes the sample is tested on-site; other times it will go to a lab.</p><p>Blood test results can be ready in a few hours or take a few days, depending on the test and whether the sample was sent to a lab.</p><h3>What Are the Types of Blood Tests?</h3><p>Some of the blood tests most often done are:</p><ul><li>allergy and autoimmune condition tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ige.html">allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-crp.html">C-reactive protein (CRP)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-esr.html">erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-iga.html">immunoglobulin A (IgA)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-immunoglobulin-e.html">immunoglobulin E (IgE)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-immunoglobulins.html">immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ttg.html">tissue transglutaminase IgA, IgG</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/labtest5.html">basic blood chemistry tests</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-bmp.html">basic metabolic panel</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-lipid-panel.html">lipid panel (cholesterol test)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/labtest4.html">complete blood count (CBC)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-cmp.html">comprehensive metabolic panel</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/labtest3.html">a blood culture</a> to check for germs</li><li>blood tests to check for anemia and other blood cell problems: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-factor8.html">factor VIII activity</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-factor9.html">factor IX activity</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ferritin.html">ferritin (iron)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-hemoglobin.html">hemoglobin</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-electrophoresis.html">hemoglobin electrophoresis</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ptt.html">partial thromboplastin time (PTT)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-pt.html">prothrombin time (PT)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/reticulocyte.html">reticulocyte count</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-vwf-antigen.html">von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-vwf.html">von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity - ristocetin cofactor</a></li></ul></li><li>diabetes tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-glucose.html">blood sugar (glucose) tests</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-cpeptide.html">C-peptide</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-hba1c.html">hemoglobin A1c</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-insulin.html">insulin</a></li></ul></li><li>endocrine system/growth/sexual development tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-dheas.html">dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-estradiol.html">estradiol</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-fsh.html">follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-igfbp3.html">IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/blood-test-lh.html">luteinizing hormone (LH)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-prolactin.html">prolactin</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-hydroxyprogesterone.html">17-hydroxyprogesterone</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/somatomedin-test.html">somatomedin C (IGF-1)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-testosterone.html">testosterone</a></li></ul></li><li>liver tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/labtest6.html">hepatic (liver) function panel</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-bilirubin.html">bilirubin</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ast.html">aspartate aminotransferase (AST, or SGOT)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-alt.html">alanine aminotransferase (ALT, or SGPT)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ggt.html">gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-valproic.html">valproic acid</a></li></ul></li><li>pancreas tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-lipase.html">lipase</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-amylase.html">amylase</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/thyroid-tests.html">thyroid tests</a>: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-peroxidase.html">thyroid peroxidase antibodies</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-tsh.html">thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-tgab.html">thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/t3.html">T3 total (triiodothyronine)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-t4.html">T4 (thyroxine)</a></li></ul></li><li>tests to measure levels of minerals and nutrients: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-magnesium.html">magnesium</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-phosphorus.html">phosphorus</a></li></ul></li><li>STD testing</li><li>other screening and diagnostic tests: <ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/newborn-screening-tests.html">newborn screening</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-ldh.html">lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-lead.html">lead</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-uric.html">uric acid</a></li></ul></li></ul></div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy">Medically reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD</div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: September 2021</div> </div><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!--Thank you for listening to this KidsHealth audio cast. 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