title: Basic principles of laboratory medicine.
abstract: In order to successfully apply laboratory tests to the solution of clinical problems, a clinician needs to select tests that are appropriate to the suspected disease, collect and submit the necessary specimens, and recognize sources of variation that affect test results. The clinician must have confidence in the accuracy and precision of analytical methods used to produce results. An understanding of reference ranges and test performance in healthy and diseased animals is necessary for accurate interpretation and clinical decision making.
authors: Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
authors: P S
authors: PS
authors: MacWilliams
authors: C B
authors: CB
authors: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000662:veterinary*; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014730:Veterinary Medicine