Body Fluid Analysis: Introduction, List of Tests, Unit and Normal Range

Introduction of Body Fluid Analysis

Body fluid or cavity fluid is the fluid that covers our vital organs that not only reduces friction between the membranes but also delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells, and takes away waste materials, which are then eliminated with urination. e.g. pleural fluid around the lung, pericardial fluid around the heart, and peritoneal fluid around the abdominal and pelvic cavities and they all are serous fluids. Synovial fluid is slightly different from serous fluid which contains hyaluronic acid and is viscous.

These fluids are sterile. Body fluid analysis is useful to find out the presence and severity of the organs and also to assess response to a specific therapy. Generally, the specimen is collected in 3 sterile tubes. One for EDTA tube in which cell counts and microscopic examination are performed. Second, a plain tube/ without anticoagulant is used for gross examination, mucin clot test, viscosity determination, and microbiological and serological assays. Reaming the third tube is the fluoride-oxalate tube for protein and sugar estimation.

List of Tests in Body Fluid Analysis

• Physical Examination

1. Appearance and color
2. Clot Formation
3. Specific gravity

• Biochemical Test

1. Glucose
2. Total Protein
3. ADA

• Hematological Tests

1. Total WBC count
2. RBC Count
3. Differential WBC count

Neutrophil

Lymphocyte

• Microbiological Tests

1. AFB stain
2. Gram Stain
3. Culture and Sensitivity

• Miscellaneous tests

Unit and Normal Range

	Body Fluid
Parameter	Unit	Normal Range
	Physical Examination
Appearance and color
Clot Formation
Specific gravity		<1.018
	Biochemical Test
Glucose	mg/dL	Pleural fluid: 70-100
Total Protein	gm/dL (Except CSF)	<2.5
ADA	U/L	NR<40
	Hematological test (Cell Count)
Total WBC Count	Cell/mm3
RBC Count
Differential Cell Count
Neutrophil	Cell/mm3
Lymphocyte	Cell/mm3
	Microbiological Tests
AFB stain		Negative
Gram Stain		No organism seen
Culture and Sensitivity		No growth
	Miscellaneous Tests
Cytological Examination for tumor cells	PAP stain and H/E stain

Suggestion

Always try to know who is testing your specimen because he or she is playing with body samples and the proper finding never ignores good track of your life in case of diagnosis, normal activities, and so on. To give this sense, your report should have the complete name of the examiner ( laboratory person), his/her signature, council number, and logo of the institution (hospital/ diagnostic center).

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