Читать книгу Essential Endocrinology and Diabetes - Richard I. G. Holt - Страница 81

 To understand how circulating hormones are measured

 To understand how other laboratory investigations are applied to clinical endocrinology and diabetes

 To understand the molecular biology that underpins genetic diagnoses

 To understand the options available for imaging the endocrine system

This chapter details how clinical endocrinology and diabetes is investigated

All specialties have been advanced by methods to aid diagnosis, and monitor and assess treatment. Investigation in endocrinology and diabetes remains centred on laboratory assays that determine the concentration of hormones and metabolites, usually in blood. In addition to clinical biochemistry (also called chemical pathology), molecular genetics and cytogenetics are routine investigations to provide personalized genetic diagnoses that predict the course of some endocrine disorders (e.g. multiple endocrine neoplasia; Chapter 10).

Outside of the laboratory, clinical investigation draws heavily upon expertise in radiology and nuclear medicine. Some investigations are highly specific (e.g. visual fields for pituitary tumours or retinal screening for diabetes) and these are covered in later topic‐specific chapters.