According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in vitro diagnostics are used to detect diseases, infections and medical conditions. Some tests are performed in a doctor's office, and others are meant for home use. "In vitro" literally means "in glass" and the term originated because these tests were traditionally performed in glass test tubes. Today, in vitro diagnostics refer to any tests that are performed on samples (like blood or tissue) rather than the patient.
Home pregnancy tests are a common type of in vitro diagnostics
Types
Most people are familiar with home pregnancy tests and diabetic glucose meters, which are both types of in vitro diagnostics. More home testing devices are becoming available to screen for a variety of conditions, from osteoporosis to cancer. Doctors use in vitro diagnostics on a daily basis to screen for medical problems and warning signs. If your doctor is concerned about a possible disease or condition, he will usually run a variety of blood work to check levels of red and white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, glucose, electrolytes and enzymes. All of these tests will use in vitro diagnostic tools.
Function
In vitro diagnostics serve a wide variety of purposes in the medical profession. Testing blood or tissues is usually not invasive, and is often the first step in diagnosing a problem. Home diagnostics like pregnancy tests or blood glucose meters help patients assess their condition before they go to the doctor. Diagnostics are also commonly used after a condition is diagnosed, to monitor a patient's development. For example, doctors routinely monitor levels of red and white blood cells in chemotherapy patients to gauge a patient's reaction to the treatment.
Benefits
Simple in vitro diagnostics can help doctors quickly rule out certain conditions and indicate other problems. These tests make diagnosis possible without invasive surgeries or other procedures to visually diagnose patients. Additionally, by performing tests on samples rather than people, the risk to the patient is extremely low and the doctor can perform many tests on the same sample. This reduces the cost of treatment and makes diagnosis faster, easier and less painful.
