Medical biochemistry is a branch of medicine that studies the chemical processes of cells, tissues, and organs in the human body and contributes to the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases through these processes. Today, medical biochemistry plays a critical role in the early diagnosis of many diseases and is actively used, especially in the evaluation of diabetes, kidney and liver diseases, hormone imbalances, and infections.
What Is Medical Biochemistry?
Medical biochemistry is a medical specialty that studies the chemical processes occurring in the human body and evaluates these processes with laboratory data. The functioning of cells, tissues, and organs is analyzed through biochemical data obtained from blood, urine, and similar body samples.
This field focuses on understanding how metabolic activities work in the body. Energy production, hormone balance, enzyme activities, and fundamental biological processes fall within the scope of medical biochemistry. Since changes occurring in the body often occur at the biochemical level, this discipline plays an important role in the scientific evaluation of health.
Medical biochemistry is not just a laboratory field that performs analyses, but also a branch of science that explains the chemical workings of the human body. Biochemistry works with a wide range of tests such as hormones, tumor markers, hematology-coagulation, drug levels, cardiac markers, urine biochemistry, and allergy tests.
What Does Medical Biochemistry Evaluate?
Medical biochemistry is a broad field of medicine that evaluates the internal balance of the body and the functioning of organs through blood, urine, and other body samples. This field provides information about how metabolic regulation, the hormonal system, and essential vital functions operate by analyzing the biochemical processes occurring in the body. The main areas that medical biochemistry looks at are:
Metabolic processes
Basic metabolic activities such as the body's energy production, the breakdown and use of nutrients are evaluated. These processes provide important information about the overall functioning of the body.
Organ functions
How vital organs such as the kidneys and liver function at the biochemical level is analyzed. The extent to which organs perform their functions is understood through these evaluations.
Hormone Balance
The production and balance of hormones in the body are examined. The hormone system plays a critical role in regulating metabolism and many biological processes.
Electrolyte and Fluid Balance
The balance of water and minerals in the body is evaluated. This balance is vital for many systems, especially muscle and nerve functions.
Blood Cells and Circulatory System Related Conditions
The structure of blood and biological processes related to the circulatory system are evaluated. This area provides important data about the overall health of the body.
Coagulation System
The blood clotting mechanism and the balance in this system are examined. The body's bleeding and clotting processes are evaluated from a biochemical perspective.
Effects of Drugs on the Body
The effects of drugs used on the body and their relationship with biochemical processes are examined. In particular, how drugs behave in the body in specific treatments is evaluated.
Biochemical Processes Related to the Heart
Biochemical changes related to the functioning of the heart are examined. Processes affecting heart health are evaluated within this scope.
Biochemical evaluation via urine
Urine samples are used to analyze certain biological processes in the body. These evaluations provide supplementary information about the overall condition of the body.
Immune and allergic responses
The body's biochemical responses related to the immune system and its responses to allergic conditions are examined.
Biochemical evaluations related to pregnancy
Biochemical processes specific to pregnancy are analyzed. These processes provide information about the healthy progression of the pregnancy.
What are Medical Biochemistry Tests?
Medical biochemistry tests are analyses performed to evaluate the body's biochemical balance, the functioning of organs, and laboratory parameters of various systems.
These tests, performed on blood, urine, and some special samples, cover a wide range of areas, from metabolic processes to hormone balance, from the clotting system to cardiac markers. In this respect, medical biochemistry tests constitute one of the most comprehensive sections of laboratory evaluations. The main tests performed in a medical biochemistry laboratory are:
Blood glucose tests
These are tests performed to evaluate the glucose level in the blood. They reveal the current state of blood glucose.
Glucose tolerance tests
These are tests performed to evaluate the body's capacity to process sugar. They are especially used in the examination of glucose metabolism.
Blood fat tests
These are tests that evaluate the fat levels in the blood. They provide information about lipid metabolism.
Kidney function test
These are tests performed to evaluate the functioning of the kidneys. They provide information about the body's capacity to remove waste products.
Liver Function Tests
These are tests that evaluate the biochemical functioning of the liver. They allow for the examination of laboratory parameters related to the liver.
Electrolyte tests
These are tests that evaluate the levels of minerals such as sodium and potassium. They provide information about the fluid and mineral balance in the body.
Reproductive hormone tests
These are tests that measure the levels of hormones related to the female and male reproductive systems. They are involved in the evaluation of hormone balance.
Thyroid hormone tests
These are tests performed to evaluate the functioning of the thyroid gland. They provide important data regarding metabolic regulation.
Specific hormone tests
These are tests that involve the measurement of hormones for specific systems or special clinical conditions.
Vitamin tests
These are tests performed to evaluate the levels of certain vitamins in the body. They provide information about nutrition and metabolic balance.
Tumor marker tests
These are tests measured in the blood that provide information about the investigation of systems for the presence of cancer. They are one of the important test groups of the medical biochemistry laboratory.
Complete blood count (CBC)
This test allows for the multi-parameter evaluation of cellular structures in the blood. It is one of the basic analyses frequently performed in the hematology department.
Sedimentation test
This is one of the laboratory tests that helps evaluate some biological processes in the body.
Bleeding tests
These are tests used in the investigation of bleeding disorders. They contribute to the evaluation of the normal clotting process of the blood.
Coagulation tests
These are comprehensive tests used in the detection of clotting disorders. It is among the basic areas of study of the coagulation department.
Drug level tests
These are tests that measure the levels of certain drugs in the blood. Drugs used in neurological diseases, drugs used in heart diseases, drugs used after organ transplantation, and chemotherapeutic drugs can be evaluated within this scope.
Cardiac marker tests
These are tests that include parameters examined in emergency situations such as heart attacks. They are used in emergency laboratory evaluations related to the heart.
Urine biochemistry tests
These are biochemical analyses performed on urine samples. Various parameters of urine are evaluated in a laboratory environment.
Allergy tests
These are tests that assess allergies using blood samples. They are among the comprehensive laboratory examinations.
First trimester Down syndrome screening test
This is a screening test performed in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is among the important biochemical assessments for the pregnancy process.
Second trimester Down syndrome screening test
This is a screening test performed in the second trimester of pregnancy. It is one of the important parts of the prenatal assessment process.
All tests are meticulously monitored daily with internal quality control processes applied in accordance with CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) criteria. In addition, samples regularly sent from internationally affiliated centers are analyzed and the results are compared on a global scale, thus ensuring the successful execution of external quality control processes.
Laboratory processes are planned and implemented in accordance with international quality management standards such as ISO 15189, ISO 9001 and JCI. In addition, collaboration is established with reference laboratories for advanced and specialized tests needed in diagnosis, research and patient follow-up; This ensures that the accuracy, reliability, and quality of the service provided are maintained at the highest level.
