| GA | Gamblers Anonymous; gastric analysis; gastric antrum; general anesthesia; general angiography; gener... |
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| IAA | imidazoleacetic acid; indoleacetic acid; infectious agent, arthritis; insulin autoantibody; Internat... |
| NA | Avogadro constant or number; nalidixic acid; Narcotics Anonymous; network administrator; neuraminida... |
| NAA | N-acetyl aspartate; naphthaleneacetic acid; neutral amino acid; neutron activation analysis; neutrop... |
| TCA | T-cell A locus; terminal cancer; tetracyclic antidepressant; total cholic acid; total circulating al... |
| vanillylmandelic acid test | A test for catecholamine-secreting tumours (pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma) performed on a 24-hr urine specimen; it is based on the fact that vanillylmandelic acid is the major urinary metabolite of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Synonym: 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid test, VMA test. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Gerhardt's test for acetoacetic acid | In fresh urine a red colour develops upon addition of FeCl3; no colour develops if the urine has first been boiled; this test has low specificity and sensitivity. Synonym: Gerhardt's reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| citric acid urine test | <investigation> A test which measures the amount of citric acid in the urine. This test is used to diagnose renal tubular acidosis and evaluate those with kidney stones. A below normal level of citric acid in the urine can indicate renal tubular acidosis. Urine citric acid levels can be increased in those with have a high carbohydrate diet, are on oestrogen therapy or vitamin D therapy. (27 Sep 1997) |
| homovanillic acid test | A test for homovanillic acid based upon the fact that dopamine is present in sympathetic nervous tissue as precursor of norepinephrine; since norepinephrine has a metabolic pathway which yields homovanillic acid, tumours such as neuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas may cause elevations of urinary dopamine and homovanillic acid. Synonym: HVA test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sulfosalicylic acid turbidity test | A test for measurement of protein in the urine; sulfosalicylic acid precipitates protein in the urine with a turbidity that is approximately proportional to the concentration of protein in a solution. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid test | A test for catecholamine-secreting tumours (pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma) performed on a 24-hr urine specimen; it is based on the fact that vanillylmandelic acid is the major urinary metabolite of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Synonym: 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid test, VMA test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rambourg's chromic acid-phosphotungstic acid stain | <technique> A stain for glycoproteins, used with an electron microscope, with which ultrathin tissue sections reveal complex carbohydrates in the same locations as shown by Rambourg's periodic acid-chromic methenamine-silver stain. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Abbe test plate | <equipment> A long, wedge-shaped coverslip about 0.20 mm thick at one end and 0.10 to 0.12 mm at the other end coated chemically with a silver film on which are ruled horizontal lines. at each variation in thickness of 0.01 mm there are vertical lines. By means of oblique illumination and by focusing on different portions of the plate, it is possible to determine the optimum coverslip thickness for any objective and also, for microscopes with drawtubes, the tube length for best objective performance. The approximate freedom from spherical and chromatic aberrations can also be estimated. Small isolated bits of silver near the edges of the lines form good objects for the star test (05 Aug 1998) |
| acetone test | A test for ketonuria; the suspected urine is shaken up with a few drops of sodium nitroprusside, and strong ammonia water is then gently poured over the mixture; if acetone is present, a magenta ring forms at the line of contact; tablets containing sodium nitroprusside and alkali are now more commonly used. (05 Mar 2000) |
| achievement test | A standardised test used to measure acquired learning, e.g., competence in a specific subject area such as reading or arithmetic, in contrast to an intelligence test which is a useful index of potential ability or learning. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acidified serum test | Lysis of the patient's red cells in acidified fresh serum, specific for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. Synonym: Ham's test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ACTH stimulation test | A test for adrenal cortical function; ACTH administered by continuous intravenous infusion, or intramuscularly, evokes an increase in plasma cortisol in normal persons; in adrenal cortical insufficiency, the expected increase in plasma cortisol is limited or nonexistent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ACTH suppression test | <investigation> A test that measures the response of the adrenal glands to ACTH. In this case, dexamethasone is given to the patient and then blood cortisol levels are measured. Under normal conditions, cortisol levels should drop in response to dexamethasone. In this test one milligram of dexamethasone is administered in the morning and then the blood is drawn for analysis the following morning. Abnormal test results can indicate Cushing's syndrome. (27 Sep 1997) |
| adhesion test | The diagnostic application of the immune adhesion phenomenon. Synonym: erythrocyte adherence test, immune adhesion test, red cell adherence test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Adler's test | A test for blood; the suspected fluid is treated with glacial acetic acid and ether, and the latter is then decanted and treated with hydrogen peroxide and a solution of benzidine in acetic acid; the presence of blood is indicated by a bluish colour turning to purple. Synonym: Adler's test. (05 Mar 2000) |