Reading a blood test report

This resource explains the words and layout used in a blood test report produced through Doxtor. It describes how results are presented. It does not explain what any particular result means for a patient: that is for the clinic and its healthcare professionals.

The parts of a result

Each line of a report describes one biomarker, one thing the laboratory measured.

• Result. The value the laboratory reported.
• Unit. What the value is measured in. Two results can only be compared when they are in the same unit.
• Reference range. The range the laboratory reports alongside the result. Some ranges have only an upper or a lower limit, written as “< 5.0” or “> 1.2”.
• Interpretation. The laboratory’s own marker: N where the result is within the range, L below it and H above it.
• Code. The laboratory’s short code for the test.

Reference ranges belong to the laboratory

Reference ranges are the performing laboratory’s own and are not comparable between laboratories. A result outside the range is reported as outside the range. It is not, on its own, a diagnosis.

Results that are not a plain number

• Not performed. If the laboratory could not run a test, the report says so rather than leaving the line blank.
• Calculated results. Some results, such as eGFR or a cholesterol ratio, are worked out from other results on the same report rather than measured from a separate sample.

How a Doxtor report is laid out

1. Cover. The clinic’s name, the patient’s name and the date the report was issued.
2. Details. The order number, the patient’s details, when the sample was collected and when the report was produced.
3. Results for your doctor. Every result in one table, in the format used for medical review, with anything outside the range marked L or H.
4. Your results in detail. On Doxtor Pro, the full report adds a summary and each result explained and shown against its range.

Questions about a result

Patients with questions about their results should contact the clinic that arranged the test. See who can explain my results.