Recommended Web Sites

Blood Tests: What is Normal? - This guide to blood test results is from the Mayo Clinic.

Dialysis Center Compare - Medicare has produced this tool to help you find the right dialysis center.

Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: Diagnostic Tests - Comprehensive information on tests and procedures can be accessed here.

Health Touch - Descriptions of fifteen major tests, most descriptions taken from government publications.

HIV Testing - Click here for information about HIV tests and locations where the tests are performed.

Interactive Health Tutorials - These interactive videos are from the Patient Education Institute. Using animated graphics each tutorial explains the subject in easy-to-read language. You can also listen to the tutorial. Note: These tutorials require a special Flash plug-in, version 4 or above. If you do not have Flash, you will be prompted to obtain a free download of the software before you start the tutorial.

Interpreting Laboratory Test Results - The National Cancer Institute explains lab tests.

LabTestsOnline - Lab Tests Online has been designed to help you, as a patient or caregiver, to better understand the many clinical lab tests that are part of routine care as well as diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of conditions and diseases.

Medical View-Watching Your Health - The real-time, live surgery site. Over a dozen surgeries have been archived. Stay tuned for more.

MedicineNet - An extensive list of procedures and tests, with preparatory information as well as articles and news bulletins. Contains links to related tests.

MedlinePlus: Diagnostic Imaging - Developed by the National Library of Medicine, this consumer health site directs the user to selected online resources on many common diseases and conditions, as well as all sorts of diagnostic tests. You might also want to see:
MedlinePlus: CT Scans
MedlinePlus: MRI Scans
MedlinePlus: X-Rays

Procedures and Therapies from MedlinePlus - Great links from the National Library of Medicine.

Surgeries and Procedures - AllReferHealth explains about 100 different surgeries, tests and procedures.

Tests and Procedures - The Medical University of South Carolina provides this great information on many common tests and procedures.

Texas Heart Institute: Diagnostic Tests and Procedures - This site provides a listing of outpatient tests that may be performed for heart or vascular disease. This information is also available in Spanish.

University of Michigan Health System: Tests and Procedures - This is another quality site for testing information.

Videos of Surgical Procedures - The National Library of Medicine offers these great videos of actual surgical operations. You need RealPlayer to run the videos, which each last about one hour.

What is Cardiac Catheterization? - This article explains the procedure, how to prepare, what it looks for, and how you recover.

What is Genetic Testing? - The Genetics Home Reference site offers this explanation.