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Sputum test
Sputum test


Routine sputum culture

Alternative Names:
Sputum culture

Normal Values:

No presence of disease-causing organisms in the sputum is normal.



What abnormal results mean:

The abnormal results will be reported as a positive culture. That means that there is a disease-producing organism found that may help diagnose bronchitis, tuberculosis, a lung abscess, or pneumonia.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:




Review Date: 11/16/2005
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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