New thinking about plaque in arteries that feed the brain
Want to prevent shifting teeth? Maybe you need retainers
What you need to know about the new dietary guidelines
Food that’s healthier for people and planet can be cheaper, too
New evidence that polyphenol-rich foods help the heart
8 simple ways to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet
How to curb your stress eating
How to spot Parkinson’s disease symptoms
Heart failure symptoms in women: How they’re different
GERD diet: Foods to avoid to reduce acid reflux
Diagnostic Tests and Medical Procedures
From biopsies to bypass surgery, you'll find information below on more than 110 tests and procedures. Designed to remove anxiety and uncertainty, these concise reports explain the purpose, how to prep, how it's done, the risks, follow-up, and helpful outside links.
- Abdominal CT scan (computed tomography scan)
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Acupuncture
- Allergy shots (allergen immunotherapy)
- Amniocentesis
- Angioplasty
- Anoscopy
- Arterial blood flow studies of the legs (segmental Doppler pressures)
- Arthroscopic surgery
- Back x-rays (spine x-rays)
- Barium enema
- Barium swallow (upper gastrointestinal series or upper GI series)
- Biofeedback
- Biopsy
- Biopsy of the prostate and transrectal ultrasound
- Blood testing
- Bone density test
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Bone marrow transplant
- Bone scan
- Breast ultrasound
- Bronchoscopy
- Caesarean section
- Cardiac catheterization
- Carotid ultrasound (carotid Doppler)
- Chemotherapy
- Chest x-ray
- Cholecystectomy
- Chorionic villus sampling
- Colonoscopy
- Colposcopy
- Colposcopy and cervical biopsy
- Computed tomography (CT scan) for back problems
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Corneal transplant
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Cystoscopy
- Cystourethrogram
- Digital rectal exam
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Electromyography and nerve conduction studies (EMG)
- Electrophysiological testing of the heart
- Endometrial biopsy
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Endoscopy
- Excisional biopsy of the breast
- Exercise stress test
- Fecal occult blood test
- Fetal ultrasound
- Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the breast
- Fluorescein angiography (test for diabetic retinopathy)
- Foot x-ray
- Heart valve replacement
- Hernia repair
- Holter monitor and event monitor
- Hysterectomy
- Hysterosalpingogram
- Hysteroscopy
- Immunotherapy
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- Kidney biopsy
- Kidney transplant
- Laparoscopy and laparoscopic surgery
- Large core needle biopsy of the breast
- LASIK
- Liver biopsy
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
- Lymph node biopsy
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Mammography
- Mediastinoscopy
- Myelography (myelogram)
- Nephrectomy
- Oxygen saturation test
- Pacemaker
- Pap test (Papanicolaou smear)
- Pelvic ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound
- Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTCA)
- Pleural fluid sampling (or thoracentesis)
- Pneumonectomy
- Positron emission tomography (PET scan)
- Prostate-specific antigen blood test (PSA test)
- Pulmonary function testing
- Radiation therapy
- Radionuclide scanning
- Rapid strep test
- Scratch test for allergies
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Skin biopsy
- Snellen test for visual acuity
- Sputum evaluation (and sputum induction)
- Stereotactic biopsy of the breast
- Sutures
- TB (tuberculosis) skin test
- Testing for vaginitis (yeast, trichomonas, and bacterial vaginosis)
- Throat culture
- Thyroid nuclear medicine tests (thyroid scan and uptake)
- Thyroidectomy
- Tonometry
- Ultrasound
- Upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD)
- Urinalysis
- Urinary catheterization
- Vasectomy
- Ventilation-perfusion scan or VQ scan
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery
- Wire localization biopsy of the breast
- X-rays
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
New thinking about plaque in arteries that feed the brain
Want to prevent shifting teeth? Maybe you need retainers
What you need to know about the new dietary guidelines
Food that’s healthier for people and planet can be cheaper, too
New evidence that polyphenol-rich foods help the heart
8 simple ways to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet
How to curb your stress eating
How to spot Parkinson’s disease symptoms
Heart failure symptoms in women: How they’re different
GERD diet: Foods to avoid to reduce acid reflux
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
Sign Up
