什么是筛选测试?

A screening test is done to detect potential health disorders or diseases in people who do not have any symptoms of disease. The goal is early detection and lifestyle changes or surveillance, 减少患病的风险, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. 筛选试验不被认为是诊断性的, but are used to identify a subset of the population who should have additional testing to determine the presence or absence of disease.

什么时候筛查测试有帮助?

What makes a screening test valuable is its ability to detect potential problems, 最小化不清楚, 模棱两可的, 或者令人困惑的结果. While screening tests are not 100% accurate in all cases, it is generally more valuable to have the screening tests at the appropriate times, 根据您的医疗保健提供者的建议, 总比完全没有好. 然而, 一些筛选测试, 用于疾病风险不高的人群, 或者在检测罕见疾病时, 会带来比帮助更多的问题吗.

一些常见的筛选测试

Be sure to consult your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate timing and frequency of all screening tests based on your age, 整体健康, 以及病史. The following are some examples of common screening tests:

胆固醇测量

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can be found in all parts of the body. It aids in the production of cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D. The cholesterol in the blood comes from 2 sources: the food you eat and production in your liver. 然而, the liver produces all of the cholesterol the body needs.

Cholesterol and other fats are transported in the bloodstream in the form of spherical particles, 叫脂蛋白. The 2 most commonly known lipoproteins are low-density lipoproteins (LDL), 或者“坏”胆固醇, 和高密度脂蛋白(HDL), 或者“好”胆固醇.

胆固醇筛查是通过血液测试进行的. People with high cholesterol measurements from a blood sample have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), 比那些胆固醇在正常范围内的人. Studies have shown that people with high cholesterol can reduce their risk for heart disease by lowering their cholesterol. 理解这一点很重要, 然而, that people can still have heart disease even with cholesterol levels in the normal range.

粪便隐血试验

Fecal occult blood is detected by microscopic analysis or by chemical tests for hemoglobin (blood) in the stool. People with blood in their stool may have a cancerous growth indicative of colorectal cancer. The test requires collection of 3 stool samples that are examined under the microscope for blood. 理解这一点很重要 that when blood is present in a stool sample, 这可能是由于其他非癌性因素, 比如某些药物或食物, 消化道出血, 或痔疮. Testing is recommended starting at age 50 by many organizations including the American Cancer Society.

子宫颈抹片检查(也叫子宫颈抹片检查)

Pap smears are samples of cells taken from the cervix in women to look for cellular changes indicative of cervical cancer. The Pap smear is an important screening test in sexually active women under the age of 65, to detect cancer at a stage when there are often no symptoms. 理解这一点很重要 that a Pap smear may be referred to as "abnormal,但这可能并不意味着一个人患有宫颈癌. 一些组织 also recommend HPV (human papilloma virus) screening in certain populations during the Pap smear.

前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)

This blood test measures the prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood. Antigens are any substances that evoke responses from a person's immune system. The prostate specific antigen levels can be elevated in the presence of prostate cancer. 然而, it is important to understand that other benign prostate conditions may also elevate PSA, 如良性前列腺增生(BPH), 前列腺的非癌性肿胀是什么. 并非所有男性都推荐PSA检测, and there is considerable controversy over the role of PSA testing. 一些组织, such as the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), 现在建议不要进行PSA筛查. The pros and cons of PSA screening should always be discussed with your healthcare provider before testing. Some of the cons include unnecessary testing and procedures, 不必要的成本, 明显增加了焦虑.

乳房x光检查

许多组织, 包括USPSTF, recommend mammography screening for breast cancer every 1 year to 2 years after age 50. This test is done in conjunction with a clinical breast exam

结肠镜检查

许多组织, 包括USPSTF, recommend screening for colon cancer or colon polyps at age 50, earlier if you have a family history or other risk factors

糖尿病或前驱糖尿病

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that all adults be screened for diabetes or prediabetes starting at age 45, 不考虑体重. 另外, individuals without symptoms of diabetes should be screened if they are overweight or obese and have one or more additional diabetes risk factors.

Consult your healthcare provider regarding all of these as well as other types of screening tests, 根据你的身体状况, as not all healthcare providers are in agreement in regard to which screening tests should be done and for which age groups.