| Rose-Waaler test | A test of historical interest: when sheep red cells are suspended in a concentration of antiserum to sheep red cells which is too low to cause agglutination, the addition of serum from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis will cause agglutination. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Ross-Jones test | A test for an excess of globulin in the cerebrospinal fluid; 1 ml of cerebrospinal fluid is carefully floated over 2 ml of a concentrated ammonium sulfate solution; if globulin is present in excess, a fine white ring appears at the line of junction in about 3 min. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rotavirus antigen test | <investigation, microbiology> A test which detects the presence of rotavirus in the stool. This virus is a common cause of childhood gastroenteritis. (17 Dec 1997) |
| rotavirus stool test | <investigation> A test which detects the presence of rotavirus in the stool. This virus is a common cause of childhood gastroenteritis. (17 Dec 1997) |
| Rothera's nitroprusside test | A test for ketone bodies; 5 ml of fresh urine are saturated with solid ammonium sulfate and mixed with 10 drops of freshly prepared 2% sodium nitroprusside solution, which is then mixed with 10 drops of concentrated ammonia water and allowed to stand for 15 min; the presence of acetoacetic acid, or of larger concentrations of acetone, is indicated by the development of a blue-purple colour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phenolsulfonphthalein test | An obsolete test for renal function; after the patient has drunk a glass or two of water, 1 ml of a 0.6% solution of dye is injected hypodermically; the time between this injection and the appearance of a pink tinge in the urine as it falls into an alkaline solution is noted; the amount excreted in each of the next 2 hours is then estimated colourimetrically. Synonym: Geraghty's test, phthalein test, red test, Rowntree and Geraghty test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phentolamine test | A test for pheochromocytoma; intravenous administration of phentolamine (5 mg) reduces hypertension due to a pheochromocytoma but not that due to other causes, e.g., essential hypertension; the blood pressure is raised by the drug in the latter form of hypertension. (05 Mar 2000) |
| microhemagglutination-Treponema pallidum test | A microtiter version of the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test. Synonym: MHA-TP test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rowntree and Geraghty test | An obsolete test for renal function; after the patient has drunk a glass or two of water, 1 ml of a 0.6% solution of dye is injected hypodermically; the time between this injection and the appearance of a pink tinge in the urine as it falls into an alkaline solution is noted; the amount excreted in each of the next 2 hours is then estimated colourimetrically. Synonym: Geraghty's test, phthalein test, red test, Rowntree and Geraghty test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| RPR test | A group of serologic test's for syphilis in which unheated serum or plasma is reacted with a standard test antigen containing charcoal particles; positive test's yield a flocculation. A modification, called the RPR (circle) card test, is widely used as a screening test. Synonym: RPR test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| RSV test | <investigation> A blood test which measures the levels of immunoglobulins IgG and IgM against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). (17 Dec 1997) |
| rubella HI test | A haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test for rubella, often performed routinely as part of a prenatal workup of the pregnant woman; the presence of any detectable HI titre in the absence of disease indicates previous infection and immunity to reinfection; if HI antibody is undetected, the patient is considered potentially susceptible and is followed accordingly. See: haemagglutination inhibition. (05 Mar 2000) |
| microprecipitation test | A precipitation test in which reduced quantities of test reagents are used. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubin test | An obsolete test of patency of the fallopian tubes; a cannula is introduced into the cervix uteri, and carbon dioxide gas is passed through the cannula by means of a syringe with manometer attachment; if the tubes are patent, the escape of gas into the abdominal cavity is evidenced by a high-pitched bubbling sound heard on auscultation over the lower abdomen, or free gas under the diaphragm can be demonstrated by X-ray. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubner's test | A test for lactose or glucose in the urine; lead acetate is added to the suspected urine which is then filtered; ammonia is added until a permanent precipitate is formed; if lactose is present, the precipitate will take on a pink to red colour when the fluid is heated; if there is glucose, the colour will be yellow to brown. (05 Mar 2000) |