Dictionary

Labs and diagnostics

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

laboratoryA place where samples such as blood, urine or tissue are tested, or the tests that are done there.

lactateA substance made when cells break down glucose for energy; its blood level is a common lab test.

lacticRelating to milk, or to lactic acid, a substance cells make when they break down glucose without enough oxygen.

lactic acidosisA type of metabolic acidosis in which lactic acid (lactate) builds up in the blood.

late decelerationA gradual drop in the fetal heart rate that starts and hits its lowest point after the peak of a contraction.

lecithin/sphingomyelin ratioA test of amniotic fluid that compares two fats found in lung surfactant, used to judge whether a fetus's lungs are mature.

lipaseAn enzyme, made mainly by the pancreas, that breaks down fats; its blood level is a common lab test.

lipidA fat or fat-like substance in the body or food, such as cholesterol and triglycerides.

lipid panelA blood test that measures fats in the blood: total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

lipoproteinA particle made of fat and protein that carries cholesterol and other fats through the blood.

literA metric unit of volume equal to 1,000 milliliters, a little more than a US quart.

lithium levelA blood test that measures how much of the mood-stabilizing drug lithium is in the blood.

liver function testsA group of blood tests that check how well the liver is working and whether its cells are damaged.

low-density lipoproteinA particle that carries cholesterol in the blood; its level is measured in a lipid panel and is often called "bad" cholesterol.

lumbar punctureA procedure in which a needle is put between two bones in the lower back to take out spinal fluid or give medicine; a spinal tap.

lymphocyteA type of white blood cell that targets specific germs and abnormal cells, including T cells, B cells and natural killer cells.