It is extremely important.

Not every laboratory is standardized or of the same quality.

Some laboratories do not have a permanent specialist physician.

Some laboratories do not have the necessary device and equipment infrastructure.

Some laboratories do not have new devices and equipment.

Some laboratories do not have sufficient knowledge and experience.

Some laboratories do not have a quality system.

Some laboratories lag far behind technological developments.

Some laboratories operate for commercial purposes only.

For quality and reliable results, a laboratory is one that;

Has experienced, knowledgeable and career specialists.

Must have a sufficient device and equipment infrastructure.

Must have specialist physicians available at all times.

Must closely follow current medical and technological developments.

Must work scientifically and ethically, and must not act for commercial purposes only.

Must be an accredited laboratory for the reliability of results.

Must have a quality system (such as ISO 9000).

Must also hold TÜRKAK Accreditation (such as ISO 15189 Laboratory Accreditation).

Producing test results that have high diagnostic value and are reliable, accurate and available on time is directly related to collecting the clinical sample at the right time, from the appropriate site and under suitable conditions, and delivering it to the laboratory in sound condition. For this reason, certain points should be observed before giving samples for tests.

Tests That Must Be Performed on Samples Taken After 12 Hours of Fasting

Except in cases of necessity, it is recommended that samples for all biochemical tests be taken after 12 hours of fasting.

(Taking blood on an empty stomach in the morning is appropriate)

ADH

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes

Growth hormone ( GH )

C-peptide

Iron

Total Iron Binding Capacity

Folic acid

Gastrin

Glucose

Homocysteine

Insulin

Insulin Resistance

Calcitonin

Cholesterol (Total)

HDL Cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol

VLDL Cholesterol

Triglyceride

Cortisol

Lactate

Leptin

Lipoprotein (a)

Lipoprotein Electrophoresis

Osteocalcin

Pyruvate

Bile acids

Free fatty acids ( FFA )

Triglycerides

Vitamin B 12

Vitamin E

Tests that must absolutely be performed after 12 hours of fasting: Hormone Tests with a Daily Secretion Rhythm and Fluctuating Levels

Because of their secretion rhythm in particular, samples for Cortisol and ACTH tests must be taken between 08:00-10:00 or 16:00-18:00. For other tests as well, samples should preferably be taken fasting and before noon, because of reference range standardization and because possible lipemia may affect test sensitivity.

Some Special Tests

TRIMESTER DOWN SYNDROME SCREENING TEST:

The blood sample collection and the ultrasound measurement must be done on the same day. The time difference between the two must not exceed 24 hours. The ultrasound measurement values must be brought when coming to the laboratory to give blood.

Stool Microscopy and Parasitological Examination :

For parasitological examination, the stool sample must be delivered to our laboratories within 1 hour.

Drug Level Tests ( carbamazepine, cyclosporine, digoxin, lithium, phenytoin, valproic acid, etc. ) : Unless your doctor has given other advice or instructions, it is preferable not to take your drug dose that morning when coming to the laboratory.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme ( ACE ) :

With the control and knowledge of your doctor, antihypertensive drugs belonging to the ACE inhibitor group (Captopril, Kaptoril, Lopril, etc.) must not be used within 12 hours before sample collection.

Tests Performed on 24-Hour Urine:

The metabolites of many substances in our body are excreted in the urine. To evaluate the levels of these metabolites correctly, the 24-hour urine must first be collected correctly and delivered to the laboratory under suitable conditions. For this purpose, the necessary preservatives must be placed in the collection container before urine collection begins. You can obtain these preservatives and suitable collection containers from our laboratories.

The metabolites of many substances in our body are excreted in the urine. To evaluate the levels of these metabolites correctly, the 24-hour urine must first be collected correctly and delivered to the laboratory under suitable conditions. For this purpose, the necessary preservatives must be placed in the collection container before urine collection begins. You can obtain these preservatives and suitable collection containers from our laboratories.

Collecting a 24-Hour Urine Sample:

The first urine in the morning is discarded so that the bladder is emptied.

All urine passed afterwards is collected in the urine collection container for 24 hours, without any loss. During this period the collection container is kept in a cool place.

The first urine of the next morning is also added to the collection container, and it is then delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible.

If the tests requested by your doctor include any of the tests listed below, please contact our laboratories to obtain a special collection container containing preservatives and detailed information about the test to be performed (diet, medication, etc.).

Stool Helicobacter Pylori Antigen Test (HPSA) and urea breath test:

The use of antibiotics, bismuth-containing drugs and proton pump inhibitors used in treatment affects the test result. For this reason, proton pump inhibitors must be stopped at least 2 weeks before the test, and antibiotics and bismuth-containing drugs at least 4 weeks before; the follow-up test must be performed at least 4 weeks after treatment.

Tests Requiring a Special Diet

5 – Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ( 5 – HIAA ):

A diet must be followed for 3 days before the 24-hour urine sample is collected and throughout the sample collection process. During this period, chocolate, coffee, tea, bananas, tomatoes, walnuts, eggplant, oranges, lemons and pineapple, which contain serotonin, must not be consumed. It is recommended not to use aspirin, painkillers, hypertension medications and cough syrups containing guaiacol.

Oxalic Acid (oxalate) and Citric Acid (citrate) :

Spinach, chocolate, tomatoes, strawberries, ice cream, cake, meat, chicken and fish must not be consumed for 2 days before urine collection begins and during collection. Medications containing ascorbic acid ( vitamin C ) and calcium must not be taken except when necessary.

TESTS AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL INTAKE

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

Apolipoprotein A

Apolipoprotein B

HDL Cholesterol

Coproporphyrin

LDL Cholesterol

Lipid Electrophoresis

Lipoprotein (a)

Porphyrin

Total Cholesterol

Triglyceride

Uroporphyrin

Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA)

VLDL Cholesterol

No, it is not. When giving a sample for urine culture, to prevent contamination from the external environment, the urine must be collected in a sterile container, preliminary cleaning must be performed, the first part of the urine must be passed into the toilet, the midstream urine into the sterile container, and the last part again into the toilet.

One can wait until a sufficient amount of urine has accumulated. However, if a sufficient amount has not been obtained within 30 minutes after attaching the bag, the bag should be replaced with a new one. A sample collected with a bag is not reliable for culture; a midstream urine sample or a sample collected by a physician with a catheter is preferred.

The urine must have remained in the bladder for at least 3 hours. 1-2 ml of urine given after appropriate cleaning is sufficient.

Because urine given during menstruation may contain menstrual blood, culture and direct microscopic examinations are affected. In microscopic examination, the source of the erythrocytes seen cannot be distinguished. Menstrual blood and the microorganisms normally present in the vagina can contaminate urine that is expected to be sterile, giving misleading results. For this reason, urinalysis and culture are not performed during menstruation.

Antibiotics can reduce the growth of bacteria or prevent growth completely. Therefore they affect the results. For this reason, although it varies depending on the type of antibiotic used, it is recommended that the culture test be performed at least 2 days after the last antibiotic dose. If, with your doctor's knowledge, giving a sample during antibiotic use has been recommended, the name and dose of the antibiotic being used must be reported to the laboratory staff.

It is not necessary. However, for throat and sputum cultures, nothing should be eaten during the last 1 hour.

Because of anatomical characteristics, contamination (transfer of vaginal bacteria) is more frequent in women than in men. Cleaning before the procedure is important to reduce this.

First, the hands should be washed with soap. Spread the labia of the vagina with one hand and, with the other hand, wipe the vagina once with a gauze pad from top to bottom (from the vagina toward the anus). This process should be repeated at least 4-5 times with different gauze pads. After cleaning, keeping the vaginal opening spread, pass the first urine into the toilet and the midstream urine into the urine culture container. Afterwards, close the container quickly without touching the inside with your hand, and deliver the sample to our laboratory within 30 minutes at the latest; if this is not possible, store the sample in the refrigerator (+4 °C) and bring it within 24 hours.

Because the sample container provided is sterile, the inside of this container or its lid must absolutely not be touched when giving sperm, and it must not be mixed with water, soap or similar substances. Before giving the sperm sample, the hands and penis should be washed with soapy water and rinsed well, and after drying thoroughly with a napkin, the sperm collection process should begin. At this stage, no lubricating substance such as water or soap must be used. All of the sperm must be collected into the container provided, and the lid must be closed tightly and the sample delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible.

Before a throat culture is taken (1 hour), nothing should be eaten or drunk, and procedures such as gargling must not be done.

No, there is no need. The methods we use in our laboratory work with tests sensitive only to a substance found in human blood (human hemoglobin).

For parasitological examinations, a hazelnut-sized stool sample must be delivered to the laboratory in its special container within 30 minutes at the latest. Collecting samples on at least 3 consecutive days increases the chance of seeing parasite eggs.

For culture, the stool sample should be taken especially from the bloody and mucous parts, placed in a special transport tube and delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible.

When taking a discharge culture, the urethral opening must first be cleaned with a sterile wipe, then the discharge must be collected with a swab, placed in a special transport tube and delivered to our laboratory as soon as possible.

Antifungal medication should not be used for at least 3 days before a fungal examination and fungal culture, and it is recommended that the skin or nail areas from which samples will be taken not be washed. If a sample will be taken from the nail, the nail should not be cut for one week.

Unless your physician has given a warning, we recommend that you give blood without taking your morning dose, and then take your medication.

It generally does not. If you have a medication that you need to take on an empty stomach in the morning, you can take it after giving blood. However, for some special tests performed to investigate the cause of hypertension, your doctor may ask you not to take your medications for a few days.

A diet containing a normal amount of carbohydrates is followed for the three days before the glucose loading test. Eating more or less carbohydrate than necessary leads to falsely low or high results.