Chapter 42 Specimen Collection and
Processing Study Guide Exam
Question and Actual Answers.
agara - Answer dried mucilaginous substance, or gelatin, extracted from algae, used as a
culture medium.
bilirubina - Answer yellow breakdown product of normal heme catabolism. Its levels are
elevated in certain diseases, and it is responsible for the yellow color of bruises and the brown
color of feces.
chemical - Answer a simple or compound substance used in chemical processes.
culture - Answer a method of growing a microbial organism to determine what it is, its
abundance in the sample being tested, or both. It is one of the primary diagnostic methods of
microbiology.
glucose - Answer a colorless or yellow, thick, syrupy liquid obtained by the incomplete
hydrolysis of starch; a simple sugar.
Gram negative - Answer bacteria that take on a pink color with Gram-staining process.
Gram positive - Answer bacteria that take on a purple color with Gram-staining process.
guaiac - Answer a solution used to test for the presence of occult blood in the stool.
hemolysis - Answer dissolution; the breaking down of red blood cells.
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - Answer a hormone produced in pregnancy that is
made by the embryo soon after conception.
in vivo - Answer that which takes place inside an organism.
, nitrite - Answer a urine test that is positive in urinary tract infections from the presence of
bacteria reducing nitrates to nitrite.
protein (albumin) - Answer a normal substance found in serum but when found in urine
means the presence of an excess of serum proteins excreted in the urine rather than
reabsorbed by the renal tubules.
sensitivity - Answer abnormal susceptibility to a substance.
specific gravity - Answer the ratio of dissolved substances in a solvent as compared with the
ratio of dissolved substances in distilled water, most commonly comparing the ratio of dissolved
substances in a urine specimen with distilled water.
stability - Answer the ability of a reagent to remain constant after being opened.
supernatant - Answer floating on the surface.
urinalysis - Answer an analysis of the urine; a test performed on urine to determine its
characteristics.
urobilinogen - Answer the colorless product of bilirubin reduction formed in the intestines by
bacterial action.
Ideally, testing of collection should be performed within what time frame to prevent
decomposition of the specimen due to bacterial overgrowth and cellular breakdown?
a. Four hours
b. One hour
c. One half hour
d. Two hours - Answer b. One hour
Pregnancy tests are performed to measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
in:
a. blood or urine.
b. urine or saliva.
Processing Study Guide Exam
Question and Actual Answers.
agara - Answer dried mucilaginous substance, or gelatin, extracted from algae, used as a
culture medium.
bilirubina - Answer yellow breakdown product of normal heme catabolism. Its levels are
elevated in certain diseases, and it is responsible for the yellow color of bruises and the brown
color of feces.
chemical - Answer a simple or compound substance used in chemical processes.
culture - Answer a method of growing a microbial organism to determine what it is, its
abundance in the sample being tested, or both. It is one of the primary diagnostic methods of
microbiology.
glucose - Answer a colorless or yellow, thick, syrupy liquid obtained by the incomplete
hydrolysis of starch; a simple sugar.
Gram negative - Answer bacteria that take on a pink color with Gram-staining process.
Gram positive - Answer bacteria that take on a purple color with Gram-staining process.
guaiac - Answer a solution used to test for the presence of occult blood in the stool.
hemolysis - Answer dissolution; the breaking down of red blood cells.
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - Answer a hormone produced in pregnancy that is
made by the embryo soon after conception.
in vivo - Answer that which takes place inside an organism.
, nitrite - Answer a urine test that is positive in urinary tract infections from the presence of
bacteria reducing nitrates to nitrite.
protein (albumin) - Answer a normal substance found in serum but when found in urine
means the presence of an excess of serum proteins excreted in the urine rather than
reabsorbed by the renal tubules.
sensitivity - Answer abnormal susceptibility to a substance.
specific gravity - Answer the ratio of dissolved substances in a solvent as compared with the
ratio of dissolved substances in distilled water, most commonly comparing the ratio of dissolved
substances in a urine specimen with distilled water.
stability - Answer the ability of a reagent to remain constant after being opened.
supernatant - Answer floating on the surface.
urinalysis - Answer an analysis of the urine; a test performed on urine to determine its
characteristics.
urobilinogen - Answer the colorless product of bilirubin reduction formed in the intestines by
bacterial action.
Ideally, testing of collection should be performed within what time frame to prevent
decomposition of the specimen due to bacterial overgrowth and cellular breakdown?
a. Four hours
b. One hour
c. One half hour
d. Two hours - Answer b. One hour
Pregnancy tests are performed to measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
in:
a. blood or urine.
b. urine or saliva.
