Chemical pathology
Chemical pathology (also known as clinical biochemistry or clinical chemistry) is the area of pathology is concerned with blood tests.Tests that actually look at the cells of blood, as well as blood clotting studies are not included as this are usually grouped under haematology.
All biochemical tests come under chemical pathology. These are usually performed on serum, (the yellow watery part of blood that is left after cells are removed).
A large laboratory will accept up to about 700 tests. Even the largest of laboratories rarely does all these these tests themselves and some need to be referred to other labs.
This large array of tests can be further sub-categorised into sub specialities of:
- Endocrinology to do with hormones
- Immunology to do with the study of the immune system and antibodies
- Pharmacology or Toxicology to with the study of drugs
| Sodium | Potassium | Chloride |
| Bicarbonate | Urea | Creatinine |
| Calcium | Phosphate | Albumin |
| Bilirubin | AST | ALT |
| GGT | Alkaline phosphatase | Magnesium |
| Osmolality | Urate | Iron |
| Transferin | Total protein | Globulins |
| Glucose | C-reactive protein | HbA1c |