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Diagnostic Tests and Surgical Procedures


Diagnostic Tests and Surgical Procedures Upcoming or recent medical tests and surgical procedures can be anxiety-provoking. Harvard Health’s Diagnostic Tests and Surgical Procedures module provides the information you need about what to expect for 115 common medical and surgical procedures. At approximately 1200 words, each entry consistently includes a definition and description, what the test/procedure is used for, patient preparation, follow-up needed, risks, and when to call a professional – all with helpful outside links. Created by the faculty at Harvard Medical School, Diagnostic Tests and Surgical Procedures provides authoritative and comforting information for consumers both pre- and post-procedure.

Diagnostic Tests
Arterial Blood Flow Studies of the Legs (Segmental Doppler Pressures)
Back X-Rays (Spine X-Rays)
Barium Enema
Barium Swallow (Upper Gastrointestinal Series or "Upper GI Series")
Biopsy of the Prostate and Transrectal Ultrasound
Bone Density Test
Bone Marrow Biopsy
Breast Ultrasound
Carotid Ultrasound (Carotid Doppler)
Chest X-Ray
Chorionic Villus Sampling
Colposcopy and Cervical Biopsy
Computed Tomography (CT Scan) for Back Problems
Cystourethrogram
Echocardiogram
Electromyography
Electrophysiological Testing of the Heart
Endometrial Biopsy
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Excisional Biopsy of the Breast
Exercise Stress Test
Fetal Ultrasound
Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) of the breast
Flourescein Angiography (Test for Diabetic Retinopathy)
Holter Monitor and Event Monitor
Hysterosalpingogram
Hysteroscopy
Kidney Biopsy
Laparoscopy and Laparoscopic Surgery
Liver Biopsy
Lumbar Puncture (or Spinal Tap)
Lymph Node Biopsy
Mediastinoscopy
Myelography (Myelogram)
Oxygen Saturation Test
Pelvic Ultrasound and Transvaginal Ultrasound
Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography (PTCA)
Pleural Fluid Sampling (or Thoracentesis)
Pulmonary Function Testing
Rapid Strep Test
Scratch Test for Allergies
Screening for Birth Defects in Early Pregnancy (Combined Test, Integrated Test, and Quadruple Test)
Skin Biopsy
Snellen Test for Visual Acuity
Sputum Evaluation (and Sputum Induction)
Stereotactic Biopsy of the Breast
TB (Tuberculosis) Skin Test
Testing for Vaginitis (Yeast Infections, Trichomonas, and Gardnerella)
Throat Culture
Tonometry
Upper Endoscopy (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy or "EGD")
Urinalysis
Venous Ultrasound of the Legs (Lower Extremity Doppler)
Ventilation-Perfusion Scan or "V-Q Scan"
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery
Wire Localization Biopsy of the Breast
Surgical Procedures
Allergy Shots (Allergen Immunotherapy)
Angioplasty
Arthroscopic Surgery
Biofeedback
Biopsy
Blood Testing
Bone Marrow Transplant
Bone Scan
Bronchoscopy
Caesarean Section
Cardiac Catheterization
Chemotherapy
Cholecystectomy
Colonoscopy
Colposcopy
Computed Tomography (CT)
Corneal Transplant
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Cystoscopy
Digital Rectal Exam
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Endoscopy
Fecal Occult Blood Test
Foot X-Ray
Heart Transplant
Heart Valve Replacement
Heart-Lung Transplant
Hernia Repair
Hysterectomy
Immunotherapy
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)
Large Core Needle Biopsy of the Breast
LASIK
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Mammography
Pacemaker
Pap Test (Papanicolaou Smear)
Pneumonectomy
Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan)
Prostate-Specific Antigen Blood Test (PSA Test)
Radiation Therapy
Radionuclide Scanning
Sigmoidoscopy
Sutures
Thyroid Nuclear Medicine Tests (Thyroid Scan and Uptake)
Ultrasound
Urinary Catheterization
Vasectomy
X-Rays

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