Lab results - looking for opinions [PLEASE READ 1ST POST]

My mom just had a needle aspiration on a lump in her left breast, and I was hoping someone could help me make sense of the results before she goes in for a biopsy. Is there anything in this report that points toward it being malignant?

The aspirate smears show suspicious cells from glandular epithelium with degenerative changes, along with clusters and traces of stromal fat cells, plus plenty of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and lipid droplets. A biopsy is recommended...

Thank you for the help!

I'm not entirely sure if this is the right place to ask—but since I'm already here...
My boyfriend needs to get a urine culture and a semen culture done. Some people tell me we can just head to the local Health Department, while others swear you have to go through the CDC. What I really need to know is—is it possible to get these tests done without a referral, and if so, where? Also, does anyone have an idea of what the out-of-pocket cost might look like?
Thank you

I am currently in my third trimester, and I had some blood work done a few days ago (required for my upcoming anesthesiology consultation). For the most part, everything appears to be fine—my white blood cell count is slightly elevated and my lymphocyte count is a bit low, which is standard during pregnancy. However, the sedimentation rate is causing me some confusion and a touch of anxiety: my SE is 40, while the reference range is 4-24. My doctor mentioned that this isn't anything to worry about. 😕

Sandra Green38 said:I had to get a chest X-ray, and the results show some bronchopneumonic infiltration on the left side of my lung. Is that dangerous?
It hurts really badly when I cough.

Dear William Price,

Even if you're already on the mend and this answer isn't urgent anymore, I'll leave it here so the question doesn't go unanswered: it’s a form of pneumonia, usually bacterial in nature, which is why it’s treated with antibiotics.

Typically, you'll see improvement within about 1 to 2 days of starting antibiotics (fever drops, white blood cell counts decrease). The cough tends to linger longer, and the X-ray usually clears up in about 2 to 4 weeks.

Best regards. 🙂

Sandra Green38 said:I got my allergy test results back. My pulmonologist sent me over to the local hospital to get those specific tests done.
Here is what I got:

IgE 343 H
RAST g 6 (Timothy grass) conc. 98.0 H
class +5 H
RAST w 6 (Mugwort) conc. 3.40 H
class +2 H
RAST t 3 (Birch) conc. 1.75 H
class +2 H
RAST w 1 (Ragweed) conc. 4.26 H
class +3 H

I assume "H" means high; everything looks way outside the normal range. It seems I'm highly allergic, but I don't quite grasp what these numbers actually mean 😕 and I won't be seen at the hospital for another two weeks.

Dear Benjamin Martin65,

An elevated total IgE indicates an allergic predisposition—essentially, you are an allergy sufferer. The RAST results confirm allergies specifically to: Timothy grass, ragweed, mugwort, and birch.

To put it simply, the higher the concentration of specific IgE, the more severe the allergy. These concentrations are categorized into classes from 0 to 6. A 0 means the result is undetectably low, while classes 1 through 6 represent increasing levels of severity.

In your case, class +2 (which applies to your mugwort and birch allergies) signifies a low reaction, class +3 (ragweed) is moderate, and +4 or +5 (Timothy grass) represents a very high positive result.

Which specific condition develops—allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis, or hives—depends entirely on your clinical presentation (your actual symptoms) and other diagnostic tests (ENT exam, spirometry, dermatology, etc.). Based on those, the appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

Best regards. 🙂

steeltiger10 said:Hi there!

Maybe someone could help me interpret these results; I haven't run into anything like this before...

(...)

I’ve been feeling poorly lately—sort of weak, dizzy, and exhausted—so I went in for blood work again this morning to see where things stand (my baby is 13 months old, so I definitely haven't taken iron in at least 10 months) and these were the results:

RBC 4.29
Hemoglobin 131
Ferritin 19

But then again,

Iron 30.2 (normal range 8-30)
WHO 10 L (26-59)
TIBC 40 L (49-75)

So what does it mean to have high iron alongside low WHO and TIBC?

Thank you so much!!

Dear neobična,

I have to admit, these results are quite unexpected; they don't follow the usual logic.

Specifically, while the iron is at the upper limit of normal, the TIBC and WHO are low. That part makes sense, as those levels typically rise during an iron deficiency and drop as iron concentration increases. What is confusing, however, is the relatively low ferritin, which doesn't align with an iron concentration sitting at the top end of the normal range. One would expect the ferritin to be higher.

Serum iron concentration itself can fluctuate significantly based on many factors, so it isn't a definitive indicator of the body's overall iron status.

All in all, I believe you should definitely have the Iron, Ferritin, TIBC, and WHO retested.

The question remains how much the iron levels are actually responsible for your current symptoms.

A thorough physical exam is certainly necessary, and likely a specialist consultation as well, to get to the bottom of these new symptoms.

Best regards. 🙂

steeltiger10 said:Could someone explain these results to me? I'm going crazy here....

Dear steeltiger10,

From what I can see, the blood work is improving; the CRP and white blood cell count have dropped, and the skin issues are clearing up. That is a very good sign.

I'm not sure if you actually have an enlarged liver (which is determined via abdominal exam or ultrasound) or if you are referring to slightly elevated liver enzyme levels, like ALT or AST?

If your condition is improving, I don't see any reason for concern.

Best regards. 🙂

Alex Foster6 said:My mom had a fine-needle aspiration on a lump in her left breast. Could someone help me interpret the results before she undergoes a biopsy? Specifically, can we determine if it's malignant from this report?

The aspirate smears show degenerative, suspicious glandular epithelial cells, along with clusters and traces of connective-fatty stroma, numerous E and L cells, and fat droplets. A biopsy is recommended.

Thank you for the replies!

Dear Chris Kim,

The report indicates that the cytologist identified cells with a suspicious appearance. They couldn't definitively say whether these changes are malignant or benign, which is why a biopsy is necessary to clear things up.

Unfortunately, it isn't possible to tell from this specific finding whether the breast change is benign or malignant.

Best regards—I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the final diagnosis shows it's just a benign issue. 🙂

Alex Foster6 said:I'm in my 39th week of pregnancy and had some blood work done the other day (need to prep for an anesthesiology exam). For the most part, everything looks okay—white blood cell counts are slightly elevated and lymphocytes are a bit low, which is normal during pregnancy—but the sedimentation rate is confusing and a bit scary: mine is 40, while the reference range is 4-24. My doctor said it isn't anything concerning. 😕

Dear Alex Foster,

Generally speaking, the sedimentation rate is used as a marker for inflammation in the body. However, in pregnancy, that metric loses much of its utility because it naturally rises physiologically. In these cases, doctors rely on the patient's reported symptoms, a complete blood count (CBC), and CRP levels to decide if further testing or treatment is needed.

An elevated sedimentation rate is physiological during pregnancy. If this is your only outlier, there's no reason to worry; such a result is entirely expected.

Best regards, and all the best to you and your baby.
🙂

Hey there,
I have a quick question regarding some lab results I just got back. It reads like this:
Test: Ejaculate - Aerobic Bacteriology
MICROBIOLOGICAL FINDINGS - Culture
Direct microscopic findings
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were not found

Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus Group B
Sensitive to Penicillin
Sensitive to Azithromycin
Sensitive to Clarithromycin
Sensitive to Clindamycin
Sensitive to Augmentin
Sensitive to Trimethoprim + sulfa
Normal physiological urethral flora
*S = Sensitive

So, I'm sitting here wondering what all of this actually implies—is everything looking okay, or should I be worried?

Thank you so much 🙂

So, here’s the deal. I went in for some allergy follow-ups and had blood work done. Everything looked fine except for my MCV, which was 78.5 (normal range 83-97), and my MCH, which was 25.6 (normal range 27.4-33.9). My red blood cell count was 4.93 (range 3.86-5.08). Because of the microcytosis, my allergist suspected iron-deficiency anemia and sent me for iron levels, TIBC, UIBC, ferritin, and reticulocytes. I've already done the blood draw. Right now, I only have my ferritin result, which is 9 (range 13-150), because the lab is sending the rest directly to my doctor. I saw her today, and she mentioned my red blood cell volume is still low, my reticulocytes are at 22 (she said they're at the high end of the range), my TIBC is elevated (I'm not sure by how much), and my iron is 10 (I think the range is 8-30). She prescribed Feosol, one 100 mg tablet daily in the morning, and folic acid, one 5 mg tablet in the evening. Now I’m wondering: what’s the best way to boost that red blood cell volume? Does it go back up once the iron deficiency is corrected? Also, what role does the folic acid play here? (I dealt with anemia about 2.5 years ago and didn't take anything then). One more thing—can I take Nexium (esomeprazole) alongside the iron? I have active erosions in my stomach and duodenum. My doctor says I absolutely should take it, but three ladies working at the pharmacy told me there's no way I should take them together 😕. As for symptoms, I've been feeling weak, having occasional racing heart, and getting short of breath when I push myself (though my pulmonary tests came back normal). Thank you in advance for any insight, and sorry for the long post. Best, 😉

You’ve been isolated, just as it says—you have Group B Streptococcus (GBS).
Since we're dealing with a bacterium that can be transmitted sexually, both partners really ought to be tested and treated (assuming you actually have a partner, of course).

In men, this typically leads to inflammation of the prostate, bladder, or the external genitalia, so treatment is definitely necessary.

Those "S" notations next to the potential treatments? That's the result of the antibiogram. It’s a pretty smart way to avoid just guessing which antibiotic to use, which helps prevent the whole issue of antibiotic resistance. Basically, it ensures you get the most effective therapy right away by showing how sensitive this specific strain of GBS is to various drugs. You'll see categories like sensitive (S), intermediate, and resistant.

To put it simply, those "S" marks mean your specific bacteria is sensitive—meaning it should respond to some of the options listed here, such as Zithromax. So, your doctor will likely prescribe something along those lines. 🙂

Thank you so much 🙂
Honestly, this was just some test results for STIs that I went in for out of pure, unadulterated curiosity 😉

redeagle96 said:So, here's the situation. For an allergy follow-up, I had blood work done and everything looked fine except for my MCV, which was 78.5 (normal range 83-97), and my MCH, which was 25.6 (normal range 27.4-33.9). Red blood cell count was 4.93 (range 3.86-5.08). Because of the microcytosis, my allergist suspected iron-deficiency anemia and sent me for iron levels, TIBC, UIBC, ferritin, and reticulocyte tests. I've already had the blood drawn. I only have my ferritin result right now, which is 9 (range 13-150), because the lab sends the rest directly to my doctor. I saw her today, and she told me the red blood cell volume is still low, reticulocytes are at 22 (she said they're at the upper limit of the range), TIBC is elevated (I don't know by how much, just that it is), and iron is 10 (I think the range is 8-30). I was prescribed Feosol, one 100 mg tablet daily in the morning, and folic acid, one 5 mg tablet daily in the evening. Now I'm wondering: how do I increase that red blood cell volume? Does it go back up once the iron deficiency is "corrected"? What role does the folic acid play here? (I had anemia about 2.5 years ago too, but didn't take anything then). Also, am I allowed to take Nexium (esomeprazole) before taking the iron, since I have active erosions in my duodenum and stomach? My doctor says I absolutely must take it, but three ladies working at the pharmacy told me there's no way I should be taking them together 😕. As for symptoms, I'm dealing with weakness, occasional tachycardia, and shortness of breath during exertion (though pulmonary tests were normal). Thank you in advance for the help, and sorry for the long post. Best, 😉

Dear redeagle96,

The reason those pharmacists confused you is based on the fact that medications like Nexium inhibit gastric acid secretion. This lowers acidity in the digestive tract, which can lead to poor absorption of certain iron compounds.

Consequently, iron supplements might be less effective if taken simultaneously with drugs that suppress stomach acid.

However, with the specific tablets you've been prescribed (Feosol), the iron is in a complex form. This increases bioavailability, meaning the interaction with acid-suppressing drugs should be minimal compared to other iron supplements.

To wrap this up: Your doctor is right! You can and should take both medications!

Don't worry about the red blood cell volume; it will normalize along with the rest of your blood work.

Follow your doctor's instructions and take your therapy exactly as prescribed.

Best regards. 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Dear Alex Foster6,

Generally speaking, the sedimentation rate is frequently utilized as an indicator of inflammation within the body. However, during pregnancy, this metric loses much of its diagnostic utility because levels are physiologically elevated by nature. In such circumstances, clinical decisions regarding further testing or treatment are instead based on the patient's reported symptoms, a complete blood count (CBC), and CRP levels.

An elevated sedimentation rate is physiological during pregnancy. If this is the only questionable finding, there is no reason for concern, as such a result is entirely expected.

Best regards, and all the best to both you and your baby. 🙂

🙂 Thank you very much

Need some help here. My 5-year-old has this swollen lymph node on his neck. The pediatrician ordered tests for mononucleosis, but the local lab is out of reagents. I even called a private clinic—no luck there either, they're sending samples over to Germany. The results we did get back (just the ones outside the normal range) show: WBC 23.7 (ref 5-13), Hemoglobin 368 (300-350), platelets 608 (150-450), Platelet count 6.4 (6.9-11.3), monocytes 4 (5-13), and CRP 12 (0.1-2.8). Could these numbers align with mono? And what kind of stuff causes a low Platelet count and high Hemoglobin? Thank you.

PS. We’re heading back to the doctor tomorrow afternoon, obviously.

Can someone please—for the love of all that is holy—translate this for me? My doctor is out of town right now.

So, here’s my knee X-ray:

"On the images of the right knee, the articular surfaces are smooth and congruent. In the area of the articular surface of the medial tibial condyle, there is a narrow, regularly shaped sclerotic zone. Further evaluation via CT scan is recommended."

That isn't anything scary, right? 😁

Diagnosis: EPILEPSY

"Vegetative sensitivity acting as a specific diencephalic syndrome could potentially trigger fluctuations in blood pressure..."

"...which brings us to the question of peripheral catecholamine levels."

I am struggling to make sense of these bolded terms... 🤷

Can anyone help me make sense of these results?

Shoulder X-ray

Here is what it says:
The joint surfaces of the right glenohumeral joint are congruent, though some early degenerative arthritic changes are visible.
There is marginal sclerosis at the greater tuberosity of the humerus and the lateral edge of the acromion.
In the area of the humeral head, there is a linear and transverse zone of increased sclerosis—this looks like the aftermath of a previous compression fracture.
😕🤷

Sophia Adams63 said:I had my aldosterone levels checked—honestly, I’m not sure if it was because of some stress or if it’s just a standard test, I don't really know.
You should probably head over to the nuclear medicine department.

That's how I did it a few days ago. You really need to make sure you get plenty of rest and sleep beforehand. In the morning, don't eat anything, and honestly, it's best if someone can just drive you there so you don't have to walk too much. Once you arrive, you lie down for about half an hour, then they take your blood pressure and draw your blood. They give you two diuretic tablets and tell you that you have to walk around for four hours (I almost lost my mind—they didn't even mention whether I could eat or drink water, so I was just winging it!). Basically, after that, you just walk, but you can eat and drink whatever you want, except for coffee, cola, and stuff like that. Finally, you sit down, they check your blood pressure again, draw more blood, and that's it.

I'm not sure if there's any other way to do this besides what I described, but I think it's called an aldosterone profile or something like that. Just double-check the instructions on your referral.

I went to get my aldosterone checked at the clinic. I showed up, nobody asked me any questions, they just drew my blood and told me the results would be ready by February 28th.🤷...Is it possible they messed something up?
I came back to pick up the results when I was told they'd be ready, but they weren't finished—even after a month. They told me to leave my address so they could mail them to me, promising they'd definitely arrive in a few days, but still nothing.🤷...And they aren't answering the phone either.🤷😠

The other thing I'm wondering about is my elevated calcium level of 2.63 (normal range is 2.14-2.53).
Should I just ignore that? Or what should I do? I also have a slight potassium deficiency; I wonder if those two are related at all.
My diet is healthy and balanced, and I don't drink milk... As far as medication goes, I'm only taking Metoprolol.

Can someone help me make sense of my Holter results? My heart ultrasound and stress test were both fine.
I have a follow-up appointment this month, so I had to get a new Holter ECG done. This one seems to show more "skipped beats" than my last report. Here is what it says:

Average Sinus rhythm 84/min (62-147)
Rare single PVCs (all same shape, 29 total) and
SVEs 10 reported in 4.36, shorter SVPT of 10.6 sec,
arrhythmia: delayed >140%: 6.

I didn't have any SVEs on my previous Holter, so I'm wondering what this SVPT thing means. Just a heads up, I'm taking 2.5 mg of Propranolol, so I'm curious if these results are considered normal given that the medication doesn't really seem to stop that sensation of my heart skipping beats.

Is this a normal result or 🤷

appearance - cloudy (should be clear)
color - yellow (should be pale yellow)
reaction - 6.0 (range should be 5.0 - 9.0)
rel. vol mass - 1.030 (range should be 1.002-1.030)
proteins - trace (should be negative)
glucose, ketones, bilirubin, nitrites, erc/hb and leukocyte esterase - all negative, just like they should be
urobilinogen - normal, as expected
leukocytes - 1-3 (should be 0-2)
squamous epithelial cells - 12-15 (should be 0-1)
bacteria - a little bit
mucus - quite a bit

🤷

Is this a normal urinalysis or 🤷

appearance - cloudy (should be clear)
color - yellow (should be pale yellow)
pH - 6.0 (range is 5.0 - 9.0)
specific gravity - 1.030 (normal range is 1.002-1.030)
proteins - trace (really should be negative)
glucose, ketones, bilirubin, nitrites, RBC/Hb, and leukocyte esterase - all negative, which is how it's supposed to be
urobilinogen - normal, just as it should be
leukocytes - 1-3 (supposed to be 0-2)
squamous epithelial cells - 12-15 (should be 0-1)
bacteria - some present
mucus - quite a bit