Tests starting with the letter S
Laboratory Test Guide: Tests Starting with the Letter "S"
A complete list of all tests beginning with the letter "S" performed at Egemed Hospitals’ Medical Laboratories is provided below. To help our patients understand these tests, a brief medical description and the laboratory’s intended use for each test group are clearly stated.
Biochemistry, Endocrinology, and Metabolism Tests
Bile Acids
Description: This refers to the level in the blood of acids that are synthesized in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and aid in the digestion of fats.
Purpose: Used in the diagnosis of liver diseases and, in particular, "Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy," which causes severe itching during pregnancy.
BILE ACIDS
Description: A biochemical blood test that reflects the function of the bile ducts and measures acids that aid in fat digestion.
Purpose: To detect blockages in the bile ducts, liver dysfunction, and cholestasis.
BILE ACIDS (Satiety)
Description: This is the measurement of bile acids in the blood after a meal, when the gallbladder has contracted.
Purpose: To measure the liver’s ability to process bile and to identify bile acid absorption disorders.
Free Testosterone
Description: This is the level of the "active" portion of testosterone in the blood—the portion that is not bound to proteins and can be directly utilized by tissues.
Purpose: For the diagnosis of sexual dysfunction in men, and excessive hair growth (hirsutism) and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in women.
SEROTONIN Serum
Description: This refers to the level of the chemical messenger—known as the "happiness hormone"—found in the nervous system and the intestines.
Purpose: This test is ordered to diagnose and monitor "carcinoid tumors," which develop in the digestive system and produce excessive amounts of serotonin.
SERULOPLAZMIN (Serum)
Description: This test measures the liver-derived binding protein responsible for transporting copper in the bloodstream.
Purpose: It is used to diagnose the genetic condition "Wilson's disease," which leads to dangerous levels of copper accumulation in the liver and brain.
SHBG
Description: Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) is a protein that binds to testosterone and estrogen, thereby regulating their levels in the blood.
Purpose: This test is ordered to calculate free (active) testosterone levels and to identify the cause of hormonal imbalances (PCOS, thyroid disorder).
SHBG
Description: This test measures the blood level of a specific glycoprotein responsible for transporting sex hormones in the blood.
Purpose: To assess androgen (male hormone) levels, particularly in cases of excessive hair growth in women and in men with loss of libido or infertility.
SISTATIN C
Description: A measurement of the protein produced at a constant rate by the body’s nucleated cells and filtered by the kidneys.
Purpose: Because it operates independently of muscle mass, it detects kidney dysfunction (kidney failure) much earlier and more accurately than the "creatinine" test.
24-Hour Urine Collection
Description: This test measures the amount of cysteine—an amino acid—excreted in the urine by the kidneys over a 24-hour period.
Objective: To diagnose "cystinuria," a genetic disorder, and to determine the cause of recurrent, difficult-to-treat cystine kidney stones.
SISTIN Urine Test
Description: This procedure involves the rapid screening of a spot urine sample for cystine crystals.
Objective: To provide a practical method for screening for genetic kidney stones (cystinuria), particularly in infants and children who are unable to provide a 24-hour urine sample.
SITRAT 24-Hour Urine
Description: This is the amount of citrate in a 24-hour urine sample; citrate prevents crystallization by binding with calcium in the urine and thus acts as a protective agent against kidney stone formation.
Objective: To determine whether the problem in patients who frequently pass kidney stones is caused by a citrate deficiency.
SITRAT Spot Urine
Description: This is a practical method for measuring citrate levels by comparing them to creatinine levels in a spot urine sample.
Objective: To conduct rapid screening in individuals at risk for kidney stones and to identify the need for preventive medical treatment.
Hematology and Coagulation Tests
Sedimentation
Description: This is a basic blood test that measures the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a special tube in millimeters per hour.
Purpose: It is routinely used to screen for the presence of a general infection, inflammation, rheumatic disease, or cancer in the body.
COLD AGGLUTINATION
Description: This test detects abnormal "cold" antibodies that cause red blood cells to clump together and break down when exposed to cold temperatures.
Purpose: To diagnose "Cold Agglutinin Disease," which is characterized by cyanosis and anemia in the cold, and atypical pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria.
SOLUBLE TRANSFERRIN RECEPTOR
Description: This test measures the levels of surface transferrin receptors (sTfR), which become more prominent on the surface of cells and are released into the bloodstream when the cells' iron requirements increase.
Purpose: It is the most reliable advanced biomarker used to distinguish anemia associated with chronic diseases from true iron deficiency anemia.
Toxicology, Trace Elements, and Drug Levels
Selenium
Description: This refers to the level of a powerful antioxidant mineral in the bloodstream that is vital for the proper functioning of the immune system and thyroid hormones.
Objective: To determine the need for supportive therapy in patients with hair loss and weakened immunity caused by selenium deficiency, as well as in patients with Hashimoto’s (thyroid) disease.
SELENIUM Serum
Description: This is the analysis of the specific selenium content in the plasma/serum fraction of blood at a trace element laboratory.
Purpose: To determine whether toxicity develops in critically ill patients receiving parenteral nutrition or in those using supplements.
SIROLIMUS Whole blood
Description: This is the blood level of the immunosuppressant medication used to prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted organ (particularly the kidney).
Purpose: To confirm that the drug is sufficiently protective of the organ and to prevent it from reaching toxic levels that could damage the kidneys.
Genetic and Molecular Analyses
Sphingomyelinase Leukocyte
Description: This is a laboratory test that measures the activity of the enzyme "acid sphingomyelinase," which breaks down the cell membrane in white blood cells (leukocytes).
Objective: To establish a definitive diagnosis of "Niemann-Pick Type A and B," a genetic metabolic disorder that causes organ enlargement and neurological deterioration.
SMA Test
Description: This test screens for mutations or deletions in the SMN1 gene—which causes Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)—using PCR on DNA.
Purpose: To prevent a potentially fatal muscle disease in the baby by determining whether prospective parents are carriers of the SMA gene before marriage or during pregnancy.
Microbiology and Infection Tests
SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
Description: This is a "breath test" in which a patient is given a special sugar solution to drink, and the levels of hydrogen and methane gases exhaled are measured at regular intervals using a device.
Purpose: To diagnose "Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)," a condition that causes severe bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation.
RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION PANEL
Description: This is a multiplex PCR test that simultaneously screens for more than 20 respiratory pathogens—including influenza, RSV, adenovirus, and various bacteria—using a nasal or throat swab.
Objective: To identify the cause of severe or epidemic respiratory infections within hours and to promptly initiate appropriate treatment.
Immunology and Allergy Tests
SOYBEAN (Soya Bean)(f14)CLIA
Description: This test measures IgE-class specific allergy antibodies produced by the immune system in response to soy products, using a chemiluminescence method.
Purpose: To confirm suspected food allergies caused by soy proteins, particularly those hidden in packaged foods.
SUSAM (Sesame, f10)
Description: This test measures the levels of specific IgE antibodies produced by the body in response to sesame seed allergens at the cellular level in the blood.
Purpose: To definitively diagnose sesame allergy, which can cause severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and is found in many baked goods.
Andrology and Reproductive Health Tests
SPERM DNA DAMAGE
Description: This is the analysis, conducted in a laboratory setting, of the rate of breaks, fractures, or fragmentation in the DNA strands carried in the head of sperm cells.
Objective: To diagnose "hidden" male infertility, which can prevent conception or lead to recurrent miscarriages, even if sperm count and motility appear normal.
SPERM DNA DAMAGE AND GENETIC SCREENING
Description: This involves the simultaneous and comprehensive evaluation of chromosomal abnormalities through genetic screening, in conjunction with DNA fragmentation analysis of sperm.
Objective: To identify the causes of in vitro fertilization (IVF/ICSI) failures and to lay the groundwork for selecting the highest-quality sperm to ensure healthy embryo development.
Sperm Preparation
Description: This process involves washing the collected semen sample using a centrifuge and special solutions to remove dead or immobile sperm and toxic substances.
Purpose: This procedure is performed prior to intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments to ensure that sperm of the highest quality and with the greatest motility are injected into the uterus.
Semen Analysis
Description: This is a basic andrology test that measures the volume of semen, sperm count, sperm motility, viability rate, and pH level.
Purpose: To assess male reproductive health, diagnose cases of infertility, and monitor recovery following varicocele surgery.
Sperm Morphology (Kruger)
Description: A detailed microscopic examination of the head, neck, and tail regions of sperm cells using specialized staining methods (Kruger strict criteria).
Purpose: To determine the sperm’s ability to penetrate the egg and to diagnose “teratozoospermia” (abnormal sperm morphology) in order to determine the appropriate treatment method.