Dictionary

Labs and diagnostics

Lab values with their normal and critical ranges, and the tests nurses prepare clients for.

IgMImmunoglobulin M: the antibody the body makes first when it meets a new infection.

imbalanceA lack of balance: too much or too little of something the body needs to keep at a steady level.

interferon-gamma release assayA blood test that shows whether a person has been infected with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis.

international normalized ratioA blood test result that shows how long blood takes to clot, reported in a standard way so labs everywhere can compare it.

intervalThe time or space between two events, such as between two contractions in labor or between two waves on an ECG.

ionized calciumA blood test for the free, active form of calcium that is not bound to proteins.