Border point medical Laboratory

25/01/2021

Beta HCG
A quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test measures the specific level of HCG in the blood. HCG is a hormone produced in the body during pregnancy.

Why the Test is Performed
HCG appears in the blood and urine of pregnant women as early as 10 days after conception. Quantitative HCG measurement helps determine the exact age of the fetus. It can also assist in the diagnosis of abnormal pregnancies, such as ectopic pregnancies, molar pregnancies, and possible miscarriages. It is also used as part of a screening test for Down syndrome.

This test is also done to diagnose abnormal conditions not related to pregnancy that can raise HCG level.

Normal Results
Results are given in milli-international units per milliliter (mUI/mL).

Normal levels as found in:

Non-pregnant women: less than 5 mIU/mL
Healthy men: less than 2 mIU/mL
In pregnancy, HCG level rises rapidly during the first trimester and then declines slightly. The expected HCG ranges in pregnant women are based on the length of the pregnancy.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result.

What Abnormal Results Mean
Higher than normal level may indicate:
More than one fetus, for example, twins or triplets
Choriocarcinoma of the uterus
Hydatidiform mole of the uterus
Ovarian cancer
Testicular cancer (in men)

During pregnancy, lower than normal levels based on the gestational age may indicate:
Fetal death
Incomplete miscarriage
Threatened spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
Ectopic pregnancy

Get a quality and reliable beta HCG test done at Border point medical Laboratory at pocket friendly prices. Borderpoint medical laboratory is your trusted partner in medical laboratory diagnostics located in busia town.

16/01/2021

16/01/2021

HBA1C/glycated haemoglobin test

A hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test measures the amount of blood sugar (glucose) attached to hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. A HbA1c test shows what the average amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin has been over the past three months. It's a three-month average because that's typically how long a red blood cell lives.

If your HbA1c levels are high, it may be a sign of diabetes, a chronic condition that can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

What is it used for?
A HbA1c test may be used to check for diabetes or prediabetes in adults. Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels show you are at risk for getting diabetes.

If you already have diabetes, an HbA1c test can help monitor your condition and glucose levels.

You may need an HbA1c test if you have symptoms of diabetes. These include:
Increased thirst
Increased urination
Blurred vision
Fatigue

Your health care provider may also order an HbA1c test if you are at higher risk for getting diabetes. Risk factors include:

Being overweight or obese
High blood pressure
History of heart disease
Physical inactivity

Get a reliable HBA1C test at Border point medical Laboratory at fair prices. We are a modern laboratory in busia town whose main aim is to provide access to affordable yet quality and dependable laboratory tests.

15/01/2021

A tumor marker is anything present in or produced by cancer cells or other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions that provides information about a cancer, such as how aggressive it is, whether it can be treated with a targeted therapy, or whether it is responding to treatment.

Tumor markers have traditionally been proteins or other substances that are made by both normal and cancer cells but at higher amounts by cancer cells. These can be found in the blood, urine, stool, tumors, or other tissues or bodily fluids of some patients with cancer.

Because tumor markers can be used to predict the response of a tumor to treatment and for prognosis, researchers have hoped that they might also be useful in screening tests that aim to detect cancer early, before there are any symptoms.

Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA is an example of a tumor marker. It is a protein produced by normal, as well as malignant, cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood. For this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood.

In addition to prostate cancer, a number of benign (not cancerous) conditions can cause a man’s PSA level to rise. The most frequent benign prostate conditions that cause an elevation in PSA level are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate)

Get a reliable PSA test done at Border point medical Laboratory affordably and within standardised time frames of 30 minutes.

15/01/2021

Why do I need a liver function test?
Liver tests can help determine if your liver is working correctly. The liver performs a number of vital bodily functions, such as:

removing contaminants from your blood
converting nutrients from the foods you eat
storing minerals and vitamins
regulating blood clotting
producing cholesterol, proteins, enzymes, and bile
making factors that fight infection
removing bacteria from your blood
processing substances that could harm your body
maintaining hormone balances
regulating blood sugar levels
Problems with the liver can make a person very sick and can even be life-threatening.

What are the symptoms of a liver disorder?
Symptoms of a liver disorder include:

weakness
fatigue or loss of energy
weight loss
jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
fluid collection in the abdomen, known as ascites
discolored bodily discharge (dark urine or light stools)
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
abdominal pain
abnormal bruising or bleeding

Your doctor may order a liver function test if you’re experiencing symptoms of a liver disorder. The different liver function tests can also monitor the progression or treatment of a disease and test for the side effects of certain medications.

Get a reliable and timely liver function test done at Border point medical Laboratory at an affordable price. We are a modern laboratory in busia town with an aim of making vital laboratory testings available for all and affordably within busia county.

15/01/2021

Laboratory tests
These are analyses done on a sample of your blood, urine, or body tissues. A technician or your doctor analyzes the test samples to see if your results fall within the normal range. The tests use a range because what is normal differs from person to person. Many factors affect test results. These include

Your s*x, age and race
What you eat and drink
Medicines you take
How well you followed pre-test instructions

Your doctor may also compare your results to results from previous tests. Laboratory tests are often part of a routine checkup to look for changes in your health. They also help doctors diagnose medical conditions, plan or evaluate treatments, and monitor diseases.

Get reliable, timely and affordable laboratory tests done at borderpoint medical laboratory, a premier modern laboratory at the heart of busia town.

14/01/2021

What are liver function tests?

Liver function tests, also known as liver chemistries, help determine the health of your liver by measuring the levels of proteins, liver enzymes, and bilirubin in your blood.

A liver function test is often recommended in the following situations:

to check for damage from liver infections, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C
to monitor the side effects of certain medications known to affect the liver
if you already have a liver disease, to monitor the disease and how well a particular treatment is working
if you’re experiencing the symptoms of a liver disorder
if you have certain medical conditions such as high triglycerides, diabetes, high blood pressure, or anemia
if you drink alcohol heavily
if you have gallbladder disease
Many tests can be performed on the liver. Certain tests can reflect different aspects of liver function.

Commonly used tests to check liver abnormalities are tests checking:

alanine transaminase (ALT)
aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
albumin
bilirubin
The ALT and AST tests measure enzymes that your liver releases in response to damage or disease. The albumin test measures how well the liver creates albumin, while the bilirubin test measures how well it disposes of bilirubin. ALP can be used to evaluate the bile duct system of the liver.

Having abnormal results on any of these liver tests typically requires follow up to determine the cause of the abnormalities. Even mildly elevated results can be associated with liver disease. However, these enzymes can also be found in other places besides the liver.

Get a reliable liver function test done at Border point medical Laboratory at a pocket friendly price within a standardised time of 30 -45 minutes

14/01/2021

Did you know that 70% of the decisions made by your doctor about your treatment are dependent on laboratory results.... I thought you should know
Get quality reliable Laboratory testing that will properly guide your physician on your treatment at borderpoint laboratories.
A harbor of quality reliable and affordable laboratory tests.

14/01/2021

Complete Blood Count/full haemogram/total blood count
This test is the most common blood test performed. It measures the types and numbers of cells in the blood, including red and white blood cells and platelets. This test is used to determine general health status, screen for disorders and evaluate nutritional status. It can help evaluate symptoms such as weakness, fatigue and bruising, and can help diagnose conditions such as anemia, leukemia, malaria and infection.
Get a reliable CBC test done at borderpoint laboratories at pocket friendly prices with a standardised turn around time of 15 minutes.

14/01/2021

An electrolyte test can help determine whether there's an electrolyte imbalance in the body.

Electrolytes are salts and minerals, such as sodium, potassium and chloride which are found in the blood. They can conduct electrical impulses in the body.
Get tested at borderpoint laboratories affordably. The test is done on a reliable automated analyser and takes less than 15 minutes to get results.

14/01/2021

Kidney Function Tests

You have two kidneys on either side of your spine that are each approximately the size of a human fist. They’re located posterior to your abdomen and below your rib cage.

Your kidneys play several vital roles in maintaining your health. One of their most important jobs is to filter waste materials from the blood and expel them from the body as urine. The kidneys also help control the levels of water and various essential minerals in the body. In addition, they’re critical to the production of:

vitamin D
red blood cells
hormones that regulate blood pressure

If your doctor thinks your kidneys may not be working properly, you may need kidney function tests. These are simple blood and urine tests that can identify problems with your kidneys.

You may also need kidney function testing done if you have other conditions that can harm the kidneys, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. They can help doctors monitor these conditions.

Symptoms of kidney problems

high blood pressure
blood in the urine
frequent urges to urinate
difficulty beginning urination
painful urination
swelling of the hands and feet due to a buildup of fluids in the body

A single symptom may not mean something serious. However, when occurring simultaneously, these symptoms suggest that your kidneys aren’t working properly. Kidney function tests can help determine the reasons.

Types of kidney function tests
To test your kidney function, your doctor will order a set of tests that can estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your GFR tells your doctor how quickly your kidneys are clearing waste from your body.

Urinalysis
A urinalysis screens for the presence of protein and blood in the urine. There are many possible reasons for protein in your urine, not all of which are related to disease. Infection increases urine protein, but so does a heavy physical workout. Your doctor may want to repeat this test after a few weeks to see if the results are similar.

Your doctor may also ask you to provide a 24-hour urine collection sample. This can help doctors see how fast a waste product called creatinine is clearing from your body. Creatinine is a breakdown product of muscle tissue.

Serum creatinine test
This blood test examines whether creatinine is building up in your blood. The kidneys usually completely filter creatinine from the blood. A high level of creatinine suggests a kidney problem.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, a creatinine level higher than 1.2 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) for women and 1.4 mg/dL for men is a sign of a kidney problem.

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test also checks for waste products in your blood. BUN tests measure the amount of nitrogen in the blood. Urea nitrogen is a breakdown product of protein.

However, not all elevated BUN tests are due to kidney damage. Common medications, including large doses of aspirin and some types of antibiotics, can also increase your BUN. It’s important to tell your doctor about any medications or supplements that you take regularly. You may need to stop certain drugs for a few days before the test.

A normal BUN level is between 7 and 20 mg/dL. A higher value could suggest several different health problems.

Estimated GFR
This test estimates how well your kidneys are filtering waste. The test determines the rate by looking at factors, such as:

test results, specifically creatinine levels are affected by;
age
gender
race
height
weight
Any result lower than 60 milliliters/minute/1.73m2 may be a warning sign of kidney disease.

Get your kidneys checked by our specialist medical technologist at borderpoint laboratories at affordable prices. Our state of art automated analysers also guarantee reliable test results within standardised time of betwen 30-45 minutes

13/01/2021

What to know about thyroid function tests.
Thyroid function tests (TFTs) are a group of tests requested to help check how the thyroid gland is working, to diagnose thyroid gland disorders and to monitor the response of thyroid disorders to treatment. TFTs include measuring the amount of the thyroid hormones, Thyroxine (T4) or Tri-iodothyronine (T3) and/or the pituitary hormone, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) in your blood. These hormones are chemical substances that travel through the bloodstream and control or regulate how fast your body uses energy. Thyroid hormones are present in the blood in either protein bound forms (the majority) or the free and active form of the hormone.
Get a reliable TFT test done at borderpoint laboratories at very pocket friendly prices.