Every woman in the US is entitled to breast cancer screening. This starts from the age of 50, and continues up to your 74th birthday. You’ll be invited every two years, and they'll use your age and contact details from your doctor's records. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the US, and every 1 in 8 women is diagnosed in their lifetime. The risk grows with age, hence the screening starting at 50. It can occur in men, as they have breast tissue too, but it’s much rarer, so they are not included in the screening program.

Fecal Immunochemical Test, or FIT, tests for microscopic traces of blood in your stool. It's a new and highly accurate test and has two main purposes. The first is in bowel cancer screening, where you have no symptoms, and the second is to diagnose a condition based on bowel symptoms, for example, in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (UC), or symptoms that could be bowel cancer. There can be lots of other causes for bleeding in the gut – some serious, some less so. A positive test – that there is bleeding coming from somewhere in your gut – is used to then order further investigations that can pinpoint the cause of your symptoms or determine whether this may be an early sign of bowel cancer. It's important to emphasize that this is not a test for cancer or any other disease – it only tests for blood in the gut, and this could also be from hemorrhoids, a tear in the anus, a polyp, diverticular disease, or even bleeding from high up in the gut, like a stomach ulcer. It needs further investigations within context before a diagnosis can be made.

A stress test, also called a cardiac stress test or exercise stress test, is a medical exam that shows how well your heart works when it is under physical stress. During the test, your heart is monitored while you exercise or while medication makes your heart work harder than usual. This helps healthcare providers see how your heart responds when it needs to pump more blood and oxygen. At rest, the heart may appear normal even if there is a problem with blood flow or heart rhythm. A stress test reveals issues that may only show up when the heart is working harder, such as during walking, climbing stairs, or other physical activity. Stress tests are commonly done in hospitals, outpatient clinics, or cardiology offices. Many tests are completed within one to two hours, and most people can return home the same day.

Blood tests are one of the most common tools used in healthcare for diagnosis. They help doctors understand what is happening inside your body, often before symptoms appear. If you have ever had blood drawn during a routine checkup, an illness, or before a medical procedure, you have benefited from this powerful diagnostic tool. Even though blood tests are routine, many people are unsure what they measure, why they are ordered, or how to interpret the results. This article explains blood tests in clear, simple terms. It covers what blood tests are, why they are needed, the most common types, other specialized tests, how to prepare, what happens during the procedure, and how results are used for follow-up care.

An EEG, short for electroencephalogram, is a test that records the electrical activity of the brain. Your brain cells communicate with each other using tiny electrical signals. An EEG measures these signals and displays them as patterns on a screen or paper. The test is painless and noninvasive. It does not use electricity to affect your brain. Instead, it simply records the natural electrical activity already happening in your brain. Small metal discs called electrodes are placed on your scalp to detect these signals. EEGs are commonly done in hospitals, neurology clinics, and outpatient testing centers. The test usually lasts between 30 minutes and two hours, depending on the type ordered. Most people can return to normal activities immediately afterward.

Cystoscopy is a common medical procedure used to look inside the bladder and urethra. Doctors often recommend it to help find the cause of urinary problems such as pain, infections, blood in the urine, or trouble emptying the bladder. While the idea of the procedure may cause worry, cystoscopy is usually brief, carefully performed, and well tolerated by most people. This article explains what cystoscopy is, why it is done, how to prepare, what happens during the procedure, possible risks, and what recovery and long-term outlook typically look like.

A biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small sample of tissue, cells, or fluid is taken from the body so it can be looked at more closely. The sample is sent to a laboratory, where a specially trained doctor looks at it under a microscope. This helps healthcare providers understand what is happening inside the body at a cellular level. Biopsies are most often used to determine whether tissue is normal, inflamed, infected, or cancerous. While the word “biopsy” can sound intimidating, most biopsies are routine procedures and are performed every day in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient centers. Many take only a short amount of time and require little recovery. A biopsy does not automatically mean cancer is suspected. In fact, most biopsy results turn out to be noncancerous. Biopsies are simply one of the most reliable ways doctors can confirm or rule out a diagnosis and decide on the best next steps for care.

Angiography is a medical imaging test that allows doctors to see how blood flows through your blood vessels. It is often used to find blockages, narrowing, or other problems in arteries and veins. While the word may sound intimidating, angiography is a common and carefully monitored procedure that plays a key role in finding and treating heart, brain, and vascular conditions. This article explains what angiography is, why it is used, how to prepare, what happens during the procedure, possible side effects or risks, and what your results may mean.

A colonoscopy with polypectomy is a common medical procedure used to examine the inside of the large intestine (colon) and remove abnormal growths called polyps. This procedure plays a key role in preventing colorectal cancer and diagnosing digestive health problems. If your healthcare provider has recommended a colonoscopy with polypectomy, it is normal to feel nervous or have questions. Understanding why the procedure is done and what to expect can help you feel more prepared and confident. This article explains what a colonoscopy with polypectomy is, why it is done, how to prepare, what happens on the day of the procedure, possible risks, when you will receive results, and what alternatives may be available.

A bone density scan, also called a DEXA scan, is a common and important test used to check the strength of your bones. As people age, bones can become thinner and weaker, which increases the risk of fractures. A DEXA scan helps doctors find bone loss early, before a serious break occurs. If your healthcare provider has recommended a bone density scan, you may have questions about why you need it, how to prepare, and what the results mean. This article explains what a DEXA scan is, why it is ordered, how it differs from a bone scan, how often you may need one, how to prepare, what happens during the test, and how to understand the results.

An X-ray is a type of scan that uses very small amounts of radiation to create a 2D black and white image of the inside of your body. X-rays send small amounts of radiation energy through the body and detect the amount that has passed through to the other side. Different tissues block or absorb different amounts of the X-rays depending on how dense they are. The denser the matter, the more radiation it will block and the lighter it will appear. For example, bone shows up as white as it blocks a large amount of the radiation, whereas air in the lungs allows more to pass through and shows up as much darker.

Patch testing is a technique used to see if you are allergic to a particular substance or set of substances. It's for those with a delayed reaction that takes a couple of days to emerge. Tiny amounts are placed on your skin and you wait to see if you get a reaction. A positive test is where you get redness and bumps in the area exposed to the allergy-causing substance. It takes an expert to interpret the results, as it’s not straightforward. And it helps if you have your own suspicions of what’s making your skin react, so tests can be tailored to you. It’s used for those with eczema or contact dermatitis if it’s proving difficult to control with medications, in which case an allergen may be suspected. It’s also useful if you suspect something at work may be causing a rash, as your employer can hopefully offer measures to help. Identifying an allergen can make a huge difference in avoiding it and getting yourself better. Eliminating other potential allergens can also be very important to someone’s quality of life. It's a commitment of your time - several days and clinic trips and no showering during the days of testing. There's a quicker test called the skin prick test, and blood testing, called RAST IgE, but these are for an immediate reaction, so results are ready within half an hour. This is for allergens more likely to cause hives (urticaria) and hay fever-type symptoms than contact dermatitis or eczema rashes, which is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction.