Lab tests
Blood test results explained
Blood and urine reports list dozens of abbreviations, numbers and ranges with little explanation. Add your report below to see every line set out in a table: what was measured, the value found, the range printed on your report and what that test is for.
Explain your lab report
- 1. Add itDrop a PDF, take a photo or paste the text.
- 2. Check itPersonal details are removed on your device. You approve what is sent.
- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
The explainer opens on its own page with no adverts and no outside scripts. Your file is read on your device and is never uploaded.
What you get
- Each test on its own row, with the value and the reference range exactly as your report prints them.
- A clear marker for results the report shows as high, low or within range.
- A short plain-language note on what each test measures.
- Questions you could take to your next appointment.
Reports people bring here
- Complete blood count (CBC), including hemoglobin, white cells and platelets
- Metabolic and kidney panels such as creatinine, urea and electrolytes
- Liver function tests such as ALT, AST and bilirubin
- Lipid panelsTotal cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides
- Thyroid tests (TSH, T3, T4), HbA1c and fasting glucose
- Urinalysis and culture reports
What this tool cannot tell you
Reference ranges differ between laboratories, and a result outside the range is not always a problem, just as a result inside it is not always reassuring. MedicDecode uses only the range printed on your own report and does not judge what a result means for you. That is a conversation for the clinician who ordered the test.
Common questions
How do I interpret my blood test results?
Compare each value with the reference range printed beside it on your own report, look at what is flagged H or L, and read flagged results together with your doctor.
What are the codes on a blood test?
Short names for tests, such as Hb for haemoglobin, WBC for white blood cells and ALT for a liver enzyme. MedicDecode writes each one out in full.
What are the most important numbers in a blood test?
The ones your doctor ordered the test for and any flagged outside the range. A value just outside the range is common and often not significant on its own.
Does it tell me if my results are bad?
No. It shows which results your report marks as outside its printed range and explains what each test measures. Whether a result matters depends on your history, symptoms and other tests, which only your clinician can weigh.
What if my report has no reference ranges?
Then the explanation says so and marks those results as unclear rather than guessing a range from memory.
Can I use a photo of a paper report?
Yes. The text is read from the photo inside your browser. Check the text it finds before continuing, because photos of crumpled or shaded paper can be misread.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
ALT is an enzyme found mainly in the liver; when liver cells are irritated or damaged, more ALT leaks into the blood.
- AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles, heart and other tissues; raised levels can signal stress or damage in one of these.
- Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when old red blood cells break down; the liver processes it so it can leave the body.
- Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity that the kidneys filter out, so its blood level helps show how well the kidneys work.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises quickly when there is inflammation or infection in the body.
- Culture and Sensitivity
A culture and sensitivity test grows germs from a sample to identify them, then checks which antibiotics can stop them.
- eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood, calculated from a creatinine blood test plus details like age.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
ESR measures how fast red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour; a faster rate can be a general sign of inflammation.
- Fasting Sample
A fasting sample is blood taken after you have had nothing to eat or drink except water for a set number of hours.
- Ferritin
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron; its blood level gives a good idea of how much iron the body has in reserve.
- HbA1c
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months by measuring how much sugar is attached to red blood cells.