Laboratory tests help assess the state of your body, detect signs of disease, evaluate health risk factors and monitor the results of treatment. Baltic American Clinic in Vilnius performs general, biochemical, hormone, infection, allergy, genetic and other specialised laboratory tests. Taking into account your state of health and needs, the doctor chooses the tests you need, interprets the results and, if necessary, draws up a plan for further investigations or treatment.
From routine blood and urine tests to hormone, genetic and other specialised tests.
Tests are ordered according to your symptoms, medical history and risk factors for disease.
Tests help track changes in your health, disease risk and the results of treatment.
You can have the tests you need and discuss the results with a doctor in the relevant field.
When are laboratory tests worth doing?
- Preventive health check. You want to check your key health measures and risk factors for disease.
- Unexplained or persistent symptoms. You have tiredness, weakness, changes in weight, digestive problems or other complaints.
- Care of chronic conditions. Diabetes, thyroid, kidney, liver or other conditions need monitoring.
- Assessing treatment results. Your doctor recommends monitoring changes in laboratory values.
- Planning a pregnancy and fertility assessment. Hormonal, reproductive health or genetic factors need to be assessed.
- Preparing for surgery. Before a planned procedure the doctor orders the necessary tests.
- Suspected infection or allergy. Tests help identify possible pathogens or allergic sensitisation.
Which laboratory tests are performed?
Baltic American Clinic performs a wide range of laboratory tests to assess different body systems. Open a test group to find out what is measured, what it helps to detect and which specialist’s consultation may be needed.
Full blood count
What does it help to detect? A full blood count measures red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, haemoglobin and other blood parameters. It can help detect signs of anaemia, infection, inflammation or changes in blood cells.
Parameters measured: haemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, haematocrit and other full blood count parameters.
Who may recommend the test? A family doctor, internal medicine physician or another specialist.
Blood biochemistry tests
What do they help to detect? Biochemistry tests help assess glucose metabolism, liver and kidney function, cardiovascular risk factors and other measures of how the body is working.
Most common tests:
- Glucose and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c).
- Lipid profile – total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides.
- Liver enzymes, bilirubin and other liver function tests.
- Creatinine and other kidney function tests.
- Pancreatic enzymes and other tests of the digestive organs.
Who may recommend the tests? A family doctor, internal medicine physician, endocrinologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist or nephrologist.
Hormone tests
What do they help to detect? Hormone tests help assess the work of the endocrine glands, detect hormonal imbalances and clarify their possible link with changes in weight, the menstrual cycle, fertility, energy or other aspects of health.
Test groups:
- Thyroid hormone and thyroid function tests.
- Sex hormone tests, including testosterone and prolactin.
- Adrenal hormone tests.
- Pituitary and other endocrine gland hormone tests.
Who may recommend the tests? An endocrinologist, obstetrician-gynaecologist, urologist or fertility specialist.
Vitamins, minerals and iron stores
What do they help to detect? These tests help assess the levels of certain vitamins and minerals in the body and detect a deficiency or excess. They may be needed when looking for the causes of anaemia, tiredness, poor nutrition and other health problems.
Most common tests:
- Vitamin D.
- Vitamin B12.
- Ferritin and iron store measures.
- Magnesium and zinc.
- Other mineral tests according to medical indications.
Who may recommend the tests? A family doctor, internal medicine physician, dietitian or endocrinologist.
Urine tests
What do they help to detect? Urine tests help assess the kidneys and urinary tract and detect signs of infection, bleeding, protein loss or other changes.
Test groups: urinalysis, urine culture and other urine tests ordered by the doctor.
Who may recommend the tests? A family doctor, nephrologist, urologist or internal medicine physician.
Digestive system laboratory tests
What do they help to detect? These tests help assess how the digestive system works and look for signs of inflammation, infection, malabsorption of nutrients and other digestive diseases.
Test groups:
- Stool laboratory tests.
- Tests needed to diagnose coeliac disease.
- Markers of inflammatory bowel disease.
- Liver function and pancreatic enzyme tests.
- Tests for Helicobacter pylori infection.
During gastroscopy, a Helicobacter pylori urease test can also be done on a sample of the stomach lining.
Who may recommend the tests? A gastroenterologist, family doctor or internal medicine physician.
Infection laboratory tests
What do they help to detect? Laboratory infection tests help identify bacterial, viral and other pathogens or the body’s immune response to them. The right test is chosen according to your symptoms and the possible time of infection.
Test groups:
- Microbiological tests and cultures.
- Serological tests – detection of antibodies.
- Molecular tests – detection of the genetic material of pathogens.
- Tests for viral hepatitis B and C.
- Tests for Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.
- Diagnostic tests for other infections according to the doctor’s indications.
Who may recommend the tests? An infectious disease specialist, family doctor or another specialist, depending on the suspected infection.
Allergy blood tests
What do they help to detect? Allergy blood tests can help detect specific IgE antibodies to certain allergens and assess allergic sensitisation. A positive result is interpreted together with symptoms, because the presence of antibodies alone does not always mean a clinically significant allergy.
Test group: specific IgE antibody tests for allergens chosen by the doctor.
Who may recommend the tests? An allergist and clinical immunologist, or a doctor investigating a suspected allergy.
Tumour markers
What do they help to detect? Tumour marker tests may be used to assess the course of certain diseases, treatment results or possible recurrence. In some cases they help complement other diagnostic findings.
A raised tumour marker does not in itself confirm a diagnosis of cancer, and a normal value does not rule it out. Most of these tests are not suitable for general cancer screening in people without specific indications.
Who may recommend the tests? An oncologist or another specialist assessing the risk or course of a specific disease.
Fertility and semen tests
What do they help to detect? Reproductive health laboratory tests help look for possible causes of difficulty conceiving and assess sex hormone function and male semen parameters.
Tests performed at Baltic American Clinic:
- Semen analysis (spermogram) – assessment of semen volume and sperm concentration, motility and morphology.
- Semen oxidative stress test (MiOXSYS).
- Comprehensive semen test – semen analysis and MiOXSYS.
- Sperm HBA test.
- Sperm DNA fragmentation test.
- Hormone tests needed to assess female and male fertility.
Who may recommend the tests? A fertility specialist, obstetrician-gynaecologist or urologist.
Pregnancy tests and laboratory tests during pregnancy
What do they help to detect? Laboratory tests help confirm pregnancy and assess certain health measures of the pregnant woman. During pregnancy care, the tests needed depend on the stage of pregnancy and individual health.
Test groups:
- Pregnancy test.
- Routine blood and urine tests.
- Blood group and Rh factor, and other laboratory tests needed for pregnancy care according to indications.
Who may recommend the tests? An obstetrician-gynaecologist.
Genetic tests and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
What do they help to detect? Genetic tests can help identify genetic changes linked to inherited diseases or assess the risk of certain diseases.
NIPT is a non-invasive prenatal test that analyses cell-free DNA of placental origin in the pregnant woman’s blood. It estimates the likelihood of certain chromosomal changes in the baby. It is a screening test, not a test that gives a definitive diagnosis.
Test groups:
- NIPT to assess the risk of the most common chromosomal trisomies.
- Extended NIPT tests.
- Determination of the baby’s Rh factor from the mother’s blood.
- Other genetic tests recommended by a clinical geneticist.
Who may recommend the tests? A clinical geneticist or an obstetrician-gynaecologist, depending on the type of test.
Histology and cytology
What do they help to detect? Histology examines the structure of tissue under a microscope, and cytology examines individual cells. They are used to identify inflammatory, benign or malignant changes.
Examples of tests:
- Histological examination of biopsies taken during gastroscopy or colonoscopy.
- Cytological examination of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies.
- Histological examination of other biopsies taken by the doctor.
Who may recommend the tests? The specialist performing the examination or biopsy, depending on the changes found.
suPAR test
What does it help to detect? suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) is a marker linked to immune system activity and inflammatory processes.
The test can provide additional information when assessing a patient’s condition, but the marker is not specific to any one disease and cannot be used on its own to confirm a diagnosis.
Who may recommend the test? An internal medicine physician or another specialist who has assessed whether the test is clinically justified.
Preventive laboratory test packages and health check programmes
What do they help to detect? Health check programmes include laboratory tests chosen for specific health questions. They help assess key health measures and certain risk factors for disease.
Programme areas:
- Investigating the causes of tiredness and general weakness.
- Investigating digestive problems.
- Investigating the causes of headaches.
- Investigating the causes of hair loss.
- Liver function check.
- Tick-borne infection tests.
- Health measures for people who do sport.
- Preventive health check programmes for women and men.
- Initial health check test packages.
Who may recommend the tests? A family doctor, internal medicine physician or another specialist, depending on your state of health.
How are laboratory tests performed?
The procedure depends on the test and the material being examined. Most often a sample of blood, urine or other biological material is taken.
A blood sample is usually taken from a vein in the arm. It takes only a short time, and you may feel brief discomfort at the needle site.
For some specialised tests, such as histology or cytology, the sample is taken during a procedure performed by a doctor.
Laboratory results are interpreted together with your medical history, symptoms and other medical information.
How to prepare for laboratory tests
Preparation depends on the specific laboratory test.
- Eating and drinking. Some tests require you to come fasting. Not all blood tests need this.
- Medicines. Tell your doctor about the medicines you take. Do not stop taking them on your own.
- Food supplements. Some supplements can affect laboratory values or the test method.
- Previous results. If the tests are repeated, it helps to have your earlier results.
- Specialised tests. Hormone, fertility, genetic and some other tests may have their own preparation requirements.
If your doctor has ordered a specific test, follow the preparation instructions given for that test.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Do I always need to fast before blood tests?
No. Fasting requirements depend on the specific test. For example, some glucose metabolism tests require you to come fasting, whereas this is usually not necessary for a full blood count.
Can medicines and food supplements change test results?
Yes. Some medicines and supplements can affect laboratory values. For example, biotin can affect the results of some hormone tests. Tell your doctor about everything you take.
Do normal blood tests mean I am completely healthy?
No. Laboratory tests show only specific measures. Some diseases can be identified only by assessing symptoms and examination findings or by doing other tests.
Does one raised laboratory value mean I have a disease?
Not always. Laboratory values can vary for many reasons. The doctor considers how large the deviation is, other test results and your symptoms and, if needed, recommends repeating the test.
Should vitamin and trace element tests be done as a preventive measure?
Not all of them. Vitamin and trace element tests are most useful when there are risk factors for deficiency, typical symptoms or indications identified by a doctor. Testing all vitamins without a specific need is usually not recommended.
Can tumour markers show whether I have cancer?
Tumour marker tests alone are not enough to diagnose or rule out cancer. Some markers can rise because of non-malignant conditions, and they can stay normal with certain tumours. The doctor decides whether the tests are needed.
Does a positive allergy blood test confirm an allergy?
Not always. Specific IgE antibodies show sensitisation to an allergen, but diagnosing an allergy depends on the link with symptoms. The results should be assessed by an allergist.
Does NIPT confirm a genetic disease in the baby?
No. NIPT is a screening test that shows the likelihood of certain chromosomal changes. If an increased risk is found, a clinical geneticist may recommend diagnostic tests to confirm the result.
Is having blood taken painful?
When venous blood is taken, you usually feel a brief needle prick. Afterwards a small bruise may sometimes appear at the needle site. If you have fainted when having blood taken before, tell the specialist.
Can I interpret my test results myself?
Individual laboratory values do not always give an accurate picture of your health. Results should be assessed together with your symptoms, medical history, medicines and other tests. If changes are found, a doctor’s consultation is recommended.
Test prices
The price of laboratory tests depends on the tests chosen and their scope. If further tests or a doctor’s consultation are needed, the need for them and the expected costs are discussed in advance.