Glossary of Test and Lab Terms

Short definitions, in the order you are likely to meet them. Each links to the Ribbon Checkup piece that goes deeper.

Urine test strip terms

Dipstick. A plastic strip with chemical pads that change color in urine. The standard clinical version has ten pads. What a 10 parameter dipstick measures.

Specific gravity. The density of urine relative to water, a measure of concentration. Normal 1.005 to 1.030. Specific gravity and hydration.

pH. Acidity of urine on a 0 to 14 scale. Normal 4.5 to 8. Urine pH test strips.

Protein (proteinuria). Albumin leaking into urine. Trace is often harmless. Persistent 1+ or more is the classic early sign of kidney damage. Protein in urine.

Glucose (glycosuria). Sugar in urine, which appears when blood sugar exceeds roughly 180 mg/dL. Glucose in urine.

Ketones. Byproducts of fat burning. The strip detects acetoacetate, not beta hydroxybutyrate. Ketone test strips.

Blood (hematuria). Hemoglobin in urine. Can be red cells, free hemoglobin, or myoglobin. The pad cannot tell which.

Nitrite. Produced by many urinary bacteria from dietary nitrate. A positive pad strongly suggests infection. A negative does not exclude it. Home UTI test kits.

Leukocyte esterase. An enzyme from white blood cells. Positive with inflammation, usually infection. Reads at 60 to 120 seconds.

Bilirubin and urobilinogen. Pigments from red cell breakdown. Bilirubin in urine points to a liver or bile duct problem. Urobilinogen is normally present in small amounts.

Microalbumin. Albumin in urine at low concentrations that the standard protein pad misses. The early marker of kidney damage. Kidney health urine tests.

uACR (urine albumin to creatinine ratio). Albumin divided by creatinine in a single urine sample, reported in mg/g. Under 30 is normal. The test clinicians use to stage kidney disease.

Midstream (clean catch). A urine sample collected after the first part of the stream is discarded, to reduce contamination.

First morning urine. The first urine of the day. Most concentrated, and the standard sample for most strip tests.

Blood test terms

A1C (hemoglobin A1C). The share of hemoglobin with glucose attached. Reflects average blood sugar over about three months. Under 5.7 percent is normal. Diabetes screening.

Fasting glucose. Blood sugar after eight hours without food. Under 100 mg/dL is normal.

Creatinine. A muscle waste product cleared by the kidneys. Used to estimate kidney function.

eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate). An estimate of how much blood the kidneys filter per minute, calculated from creatinine, age, and sex. Under 60 for three months defines chronic kidney disease. eGFR explained.

ALT and AST. Liver enzymes that rise when liver cells are injured. Liver enzymes.

FIB-4. A score calculated from age, ALT, AST, and platelets that estimates liver scarring risk. The liver health checkup.

Lipid panel. Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. The cholesterol panel explained.

LDL and HDL. Low density and high density lipoprotein. LDL deposits cholesterol in arteries and is the treatment target. HDL carries it away.

Lipoprotein(a). A genetic cholesterol particle that raises heart risk and does not respond to diet. Measured once in a lifetime.

Comprehensive metabolic panel. The standard blood panel of about 14 values including glucose, electrolytes, kidney markers, and liver enzymes.

Screening and testing terms

Sensitivity. The share of people with a condition that a test correctly flags. How to use home tests without fooling yourself.

Specificity. The share of people without a condition that a test correctly clears.

False positive. A positive result in someone who does not have the condition. Common when a condition is rare.

False negative. A negative result in someone who does have the condition.

Base rate. How common a condition is in the group being tested. It determines how much a positive result means.

USPSTF. The US Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel that grades the evidence for screening tests. Preventive screenings by decade.

FDA cleared. A product reviewed by the FDA and permitted for sale for a stated use. For home tests, "over the counter" or "OTC" clearance is the relevant kind. Where to buy urine test strips.

CLIA waived. A test classified as simple enough to run outside a formal laboratory. Applies to clinics and pharmacies, not home users.

Research use only. A product not cleared for diagnostic use. Sold without any performance claim.

FIT. Fecal immunochemical test. A home stool test for hidden blood, used for colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer screening options.

Systolic and diastolic. The top and bottom blood pressure numbers: pressure during a heartbeat and pressure between beats. How to take blood pressure at home.

Validated device. A blood pressure monitor tested against a reference standard under a published protocol. Lists are kept at validatebp.org.

Ribbon Checkup terms

Ribbon Checkup (.org). This site. A health education publication from Ribbon Health Press, a Scanbase, Inc. company. About.

Ribbon Checkup (.com). The product site for Ribbon Checkup home urine tests, with the account portal at app.ribboncheckup.com and support at support.ribboncheckup.com. Which site is which.

Ribbon Health Press. The publisher of ribboncheckup.org. Editorial policy.

Missing a term? Write to editors@ribboncheckup.org.