Gastro Care Clinic
HERNIA
FISSURE
HAEMORRHOIDS
LAPAROSCOPY
BREAST CARCINOMA
APPENDICITIS
THYROID
GALL BLADDER STONES
Follow Us On
Marinas Clinic
Blood Tests
Blood tests that guide your care
A blood test can show what an examination alone cannot. It can reveal how well your liver and kidneys are working, whether there is an infection or inflammation, whether your blood sugar is under control, or whether you are low in iron after months of bleeding.
At Marina’s Clinic, blood tests are part of your consultation, not a separate errand. Samples are collected at our clinic in Nungambakkam, and your results are reviewed by Dr. Preethi Mrinalini K, the same consultant surgeon who examines you and plans your treatment. That means fewer trips across the city and a clear explanation of what your numbers mean for you.
Why your doctor may advise a blood test
To find the cause of your symptoms
Tests can help explain abdominal pain, tiredness, weight loss, fever or jaundice.
To check how your organs are working
Liver, kidney, pancreas and thyroid tests show how these organs are coping.
To prepare you safely for surgery
Pre-surgery tests check that you are fit for anaesthesia and that your blood clots normally.
To monitor your recovery and long-term health
Repeat tests track healing after surgery, and help manage conditions such as diabetes or anaemia.
Blood tests available at the clinic
General health
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- What’s included: Haemoglobin (Hb); total red blood cell (RBC) count; packed cell volume (PCV / haematocrit); red cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW); total white blood cell (WBC) count; differential count (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils); platelet count; mean platelet volume (MPV)
- What it checks: Anaemia, signs of infection or inflammation, and whether your platelets are normal for clotting
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
- What’s included: A single value, in millimetres per hour
- What it checks: A general marker of inflammation or infection in the body
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Peripheral Blood Smear
- What’s included: A microscope review of the size, shape and appearance of red cells, white cells and platelets
- What it checks: The type of anaemia, and unusual cells that a CBC alone may not show
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Diabetes
Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS)
- What’s included: Blood glucose level after fasting
- What it checks: Diabetes and pre-diabetes
- Preparation: No food for 8–10 hours; plain water is fine
Post-meal Blood Sugar (PPBS)
- What’s included: Blood glucose level 2 hours after a meal
- What it checks: How well your body handles sugar after eating
- Preparation: Eat your normal meal, and give the sample exactly 2 hours later
Random Blood Sugar (RBS)
- What’s included: Blood glucose level at any time of day
- What it checks: A quick sugar check, often before a procedure
- Preparation: None
HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin)
- What’s included: HbA1c percentage, and estimated average glucose (eAG)
- What it checks: Your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. Good control matters for safe surgery and wound healing.
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Liver
Liver Function Test (LFT)
- What’s included: Total bilirubin; direct (conjugated) bilirubin; indirect (unconjugated) bilirubin; SGOT (AST); SGPT (ALT); alkaline phosphatase (ALP); gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT); total protein; albumin; globulin; albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio
- What it checks: Liver health, the cause of jaundice, and whether a gallstone may be blocking the bile duct
- Preparation: No fasting needed, though a light fast of a few hours may be advised
Kidney
Kidney Function Test (KFT / RFT)
- What’s included: Blood urea; blood urea nitrogen (BUN); serum creatinine; estimated GFR (eGFR); uric acid; electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride)
- What it checks: How well your kidneys filter waste, and your fluid and salt balance. This is important before anaesthesia and when planning medicines.
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Pancreas
Serum Amylase
- What’s included: Amylase enzyme level
- What it checks: Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which gallstones can sometimes cause
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Serum Lipase
- What’s included: Lipase enzyme level
- What it checks: Pancreatitis. Lipase is more specific to the pancreas than amylase, so the two are often done together.
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Thyroid
Thyroid Profile (T3, T4, TSH)
- What’s included: Total T3 (triiodothyronine); total T4 (thyroxine); TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). Free T3 and free T4 on request.
- What it checks: Whether your thyroid is overactive or underactive, especially with a neck swelling or before thyroid surgery
- Preparation: No fasting needed. Morning samples are preferred if you take thyroid medicine; take your dose after the test.
Heart and cholesterol
Lipid Profile
- What’s included: Total cholesterol; triglycerides; HDL (“good”) cholesterol; LDL (“bad”) cholesterol; VLDL cholesterol; non-HDL cholesterol; total cholesterol/HDL ratio; LDL/HDL ratio
- What it checks: Cholesterol levels and heart risk, and part of the assessment before weight-loss surgery
- Preparation: Usually 9–12 hours of fasting; plain water is fine
Clotting
Bleeding Time (BT) and Clotting Time (CT)
- What’s included: Time taken for bleeding to stop, and for blood to clot
- What it checks: A basic check of clotting before minor procedures
- Preparation: None. Tell us if you take blood thinners.
Prothrombin Time with INR (PT/INR)
- What’s included: Prothrombin time in seconds, control value, and INR
- What it checks: How well your blood clots; also used to monitor blood thinners such as warfarin
- Preparation: None. Tell us about any blood thinners.
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT)
- What’s included: aPTT in seconds, with a control value
- What it checks: Another part of the clotting system, checked alongside PT before surgery
- Preparation: None
Blood group
Blood Grouping and Rh Typing
- What’s included: ABO blood group (A, B, AB or O) and Rh factor (positive or negative)
- What it checks: Your blood group, in case a transfusion is needed during or after surgery
- Preparation: None
Infection and inflammation
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- What’s included: CRP level (quantitative)
- What it checks: Active inflammation or infection, for example in appendicitis, an abscess or after surgery
- Preparation: None
Blood Culture and Sensitivity
- What’s included: Growth of any bacteria in the blood, identification of the organism, and which antibiotics work against it
- What it checks: Serious infection that has spread into the bloodstream, and the right antibiotic to treat it
- Preparation: Best collected before antibiotics are started. Results take 2–5 days.
Viral screening
HIV 1 & 2 Antibodies
- What’s included: Screening for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies
- What it checks: Routine safety screening before surgery and endoscopy. Results are confidential.
- Preparation: None
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg)
- What’s included: Hepatitis B surface antigen
- What it checks: Current hepatitis B infection
- Preparation: None
Hepatitis C Antibody (Anti-HCV)
- eWhat’s included: Antibodies to hepatitis C
- What it checks: Past or current hepatitis C infection
- Preparation: None
Vitamins and iron
Iron Studies
- What’s included: Serum iron; total iron-binding capacity (TIBC); transferrin saturation; serum ferritin
- What it checks: Iron-deficiency anaemia, common after long-term bleeding from piles, and before or after weight-loss surgery
- Preparation: Morning sample preferred; fasting may be advised
Vitamin B12
- What’s included: Serum Vitamin B12 level
- What it checks: B12 deficiency, which can cause tiredness and numbness, and is monitored after weight-loss surgery
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D)
- What’s included: 25-OH Vitamin D level
- What it checks: Vitamin D deficiency, which is common, and monitored before and after weight-loss surgery
- Preparation: No fasting needed
Tumour markers
These tests are advised only in selected cases, to support diagnosis and follow-up. A raised value does not by itself mean cancer, and a normal value does not rule it out, so results are always interpreted with scans and examination.
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen)
- What’s included: CEA level
- What it checks: Used mainly in the follow-up of bowel (colorectal) conditions
- Preparation: None
CA 19-9
- What’s included: CA 19-9 level
- What it checks: Used in assessing conditions of the pancreas, bile ducts and gallbladder
- Preparation: None
AFP (Alpha-Fetoprotein)
- What’s included: AFP level
- What it checks: Used in assessing certain liver conditions
- Preparation: None
Urine and stool tests [Confirm]
Urine Routine Examination
- What’s included: Physical examination (colour, appearance, specific gravity); chemical examination (pH, protein, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, blood); microscopy (pus cells, red cells, epithelial cells, casts, crystals)
- What it checks: Urine infection, sugar or protein in the urine, and kidney problems
- Preparation: A clean-catch, mid-stream sample, ideally the first urine of the morning
Stool Routine and Occult Blood
- What’s included: Physical examination (colour, consistency, mucus); microscopy (ova, cysts, pus cells, red cells); occult (hidden) blood test
- What it checks: Infection, parasites, and hidden bleeding from the digestive tract
- Preparation: A fresh sample in the container we provide
Pre-surgery blood test panel
If you are planning surgery, Dr. Preethi will advise a pre-surgery (pre-operative) panel. These tests help assess your health and support safer anaesthesia and surgery.
-
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
checks for anaemia and infection
-
Blood sugar and HbA1c
Blood sugar and HbA1c
-
Kidney function and electrolytes
guides anaesthesia and fluids
-
Liver function
especially before gallbladder or abdominal surgery
-
Clotting tests (BT, CT, PT/INR, aPTT)
check for any bleeding risk
-
Blood group and Rh typing
in case transfusion is needed
-
Viral markers (HIV, HBsAg, anti-HCV)
standard safety screening before any procedure
-
Urine routine
checks for infection or sugar in the urine
Tests commonly advised for digestive and surgical conditions
LFT, CBC, serum amylase and lipase, plus an ultrasound of the abdomen | |
Piles with bleeding | CBC, serum iron, ferritin |
Appendicitis or sudden abdominal pain | CBC, CRP, urine routine |
Acid reflux or stomach ulcer | CBC to check for anaemia; other tests as needed |
Thyroid swelling | T3, T4, TSH |
HbA1c, lipid profile, LFT, KFT, thyroid profile, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, iron studies | |
Diabetic foot | Blood sugar, HbA1c, CBC, CRP, creatinine |
Hernia surgery | Pre-surgery panel |
How to prepare for your blood test
Test | Preparation |
Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) | No food for 8–10 hours before the test. Plain water is fine. |
Lipid profile | Usually done fasting, 9–12 hours. We will confirm when you book. |
Post-meal Blood Sugar (PPBS) | Exactly 2 hours after a normal meal |
HbA1c, CBC, LFT, KFT, thyroid and most others | No fasting needed |
A few simple tips
- Drink plain water as usual. Being well hydrated makes the sample easier to collect.
- Keep taking your regular medicines unless the doctor tells you otherwise.
- If you take insulin or diabetes tablets, ask us before fasting so your sugar does not drop too low.
- Tell us if you take blood thinners such as aspirin, clopidogrel or warfarin.
- Wear a short-sleeved or loose top for easy access to your arm.
What happens at your test
-
Registration
Share your prescription or test request at the front desk.
-
Sample collection
A trained staff member takes a small blood sample from a vein in your arm. It takes only a few minutes, and most people feel just a brief pinch.
-
Reports and review
Your results are shared with you and reviewed by Dr. Preethi, who explains what they mean and the next step.
Your Reports
Most routine reports are ready within [same day / 24 hours]. Some specialised tests, such as blood culture, vitamin levels or tumour markers, take longer. [Confirm turnaround times.]
You can collect a printed copy at the clinic, or receive it on [WhatsApp / email]. Results are always best understood alongside your symptoms, so we recommend reviewing them with Dr. Preethi rather than reading the numbers on your own.
Sample collection timings
Location | Days | Hours |
Marina’s Clinic, 40, 54, Josier Street, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600034 | Monday to Saturday | [Confirm sample collection hours, especially for fasting tests] |
The clinic is easy to reach from T. Nagar, Kodambakkam, Egmore, Thousand Lights and nearby areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tests are usually done on Dr. Preethi’s advice after a consultation. Please call us if you have a prescription from another doctor.
Only for some tests, mainly fasting blood sugar and the lipid profile. Most other tests, including HbA1c, CBC, liver and kidney tests, need no fasting. We will tell you exactly what to do when you book.
Most routine results are ready within [same day / 24 hours]. Specialised tests may take a few days.
Most people feel only a quick pinch as the needle goes in. If you feel nervous or faint around needles, let our staff know, and you can lie down during the test
In most cases, yes. If you take medicines for diabetes or blood thinners, please check with us first.
This depends on your age, health and the planned procedure. Dr. Preethi will advise a pre-surgery panel during your consultation.
Make an Appointment
One of Chennai’s best gastrointestinal clinics. We provide the most effective treatment for Gastrointestinal Tract, Gallbladder, Stomach, Colon, Rectum, Piles, fissures, and hernias.
