Common test name Primary test name Specimen Container Referred test Patient cost Comments/Instructions
L1 CAM Gene L1 CAM Gene Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No   
Labial Swab Vulval Swab, Microscopy and culture Vulval swab  Transswab- swab in transport medium  No  No  The work-up performed is dependent on the clinical notes provided Using a swab moistened with steril... (more)  
Lacrimal swab Lacrimal swab Swab OR Pus  Transswab- swab in transport medium  No  No  Clinical notes required. Collected by referring Clinician.  
Lactate Lactate Blood  Fluoride oxalate Tube 2 ml  No  No  Avoid fist clenching; minimal use of tourniquet (preferably not at all) Avoid haemolysis; haemolyse... (more)  
Lactate Dehydrogenase, (LDH) Lactate Dehydrogenase, (LDH) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Avoid haemolysis; haemolysed samples are unsuitable. Venepuncture.  
Lactate, CSF Lactate, CSF CSF  Fluoride oxalate Tube 2 ml  No  No  Avoid haemolysis; haemolysed samples are unsuitable. Collected by referring Clinician.  
Lactose intolerance, faeces Faeces, Reducing Substances   N/A  No  No   
Lactose Tolerance Test Lactose Tolerance Test Blood  Fluoride oxalate Tube 2 ml  No  No  Order lactose powder from stores. One gm of powder per kg of body weight is required to a maximum o... (more)  
Lamictal Lamotrigine Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No  Trough level - collect at least 6-8 hours after last dose. Venepuncture. Date, time and dose of l... (more)  
Lamotrigine Lamotrigine Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No  Trough level - collect at least 6-8 hours after last dose. Venepuncture. Date, time and dose of l... (more)  
Lanoxin Digoxin Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Trough level - collect at least 6-8 hours after last dose. Venepuncture. Date, time and dose of l... (more)  
Laxative Screen Laxative Screen Urine  **Sterile container  Yes  No   
LDH Lactate Dehydrogenase, (LDH) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Avoid haemolysis; haemolysed samples are unsuitable. Venepuncture.  
Lead, Urine Lead, Urine Urine  Urine container Acid-Washed 24 hour  Yes  No   
Lead, Whole Blood Lead, Whole Blood Blood  Lithium Heparin Tube  Yes  No  DO NOT CENTRIFUGE Venepuncture.  
Lebers Neuropathy Screen LHON Mutation 6460 (G->A) Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  Testing may also be performed on hair (minimum six hairs PULLED out with bulbs) Venepuncture  
Legionella antibodies Legionella pneumophila antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No  If blood is drawn during the acute phase of the illlness please send convalescent sample 4 - 6 weeks... (more)  
Legionella culture Legionella Examination Sputum, Bronchial Wash or lavage (BAL), Tissue, Pleural fluid OR Other body fluids  Sterile container  Yes  Yes   
Legionella Examination Legionella Examination Sputum, Bronchial Wash or lavage (BAL), Tissue, Pleural fluid OR Other body fluids  Sterile container  Yes  Yes   
Legionella PCR Legionella Examination Sputum, Bronchial Wash or lavage (BAL), Tissue, Pleural fluid OR Other body fluids  Sterile container  Yes  Yes   
Legionella pneumophila antibodies Legionella pneumophila antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No  If blood is drawn during the acute phase of the illlness please send convalescent sample 4 - 6 weeks... (more)  
Legionella Pneumophila Type 1 Antigen Legionella Pneumophila Type 1 Antigen Urine  Urine/Specimen container 50ml  Yes  No  Hold urine at 4º pending transport to the laboratory. PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS: FEMALE 1. Write your... (more)  
Leiden Mutation (Factor V) Leiden Mutation (Factor V) Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  No  No   
Leigh's Disease Screen Leigh's Disease Screen Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  Testing may also be performed on hair bulbs (10-20 hair follicles with bulbs) or muscle biopsy (sent... (more)  
Leishmania antibodies Leishmania antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No   
Leishmaniasis serology Leishmania antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No   
Leptospira antibodies Leptospira antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No  If blood is drawn during the acute phase of the illness please send convalescent sample 2 weeks late... (more)  
Leucocyte antibodies HLA antibodies Blood  Plain Tube 10 ml  Yes  No   
Leucocyte Lysosomal Enzymes Lysosomal Enzyme Screen Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  DO NOT COLLECT ON FRIDAYS; INTERSTATE SENDOUT REQUIRED Venepuncture  
Leucodystrophy Screen Lysosomal Enzyme Screen Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  DO NOT COLLECT ON FRIDAYS; INTERSTATE SENDOUT REQUIRED Venepuncture  
LFT Liver Function Test Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
LHON Mutation 11778 (G->A) LHON Mutation 11778 (G->A) Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No   
LHON Mutation 14484 (T->C) LHON Mutation 14484 (T->C) Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No   
LHON Mutation 6460 (G->A) LHON Mutation 6460 (G->A) Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  Testing may also be performed on hair (minimum six hairs PULLED out with bulbs) Venepuncture  
LI Lithium Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Blood should be taken 12 hours after last dose Venepuncture.  
Lid margin swab Lacrimal swab Swab OR Pus  Transswab- swab in transport medium  No  No  Clinical notes required. Collected by referring Clinician.  
Light chains in Urine Protein Electrophoresis, Urine Early morning urine  Urine/Specimen container 50ml  No  No   
Limbal Impression Cytology, Impression Cytology Impression Cytology  Millipore filter (cellulose acetate filter).  No  No  Collection filter and container available from cytology. Rapid and Thorough fixation is CRUCIAL. Col... (more)  
Lipase Lipase Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
Lipid Profile (Total Cholestesterol & Triglycerides) Lipid Profile (Total Cholestesterol & Triglycerides) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Fasting specimen preferred (10hr overnight fast). HDL-Cholesterol must be specifically requested if ... (more)  
Lipoprotein (a) Lipoprotein (a) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  Yes  Overnight fast Venepuncture  
Lipoprotein A1 Apolipoprotein A1 Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  Yes  Overnight fast Venepuncture  
Lipoprotein B Apolipoprotein B Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  Yes  Overnight fast Venepuncture  
Lipoprotein E, genotype Apolipoprotein E Genotype Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  No  Yes   
Lipoprotein Electrophoresis Lipoprotein Electrophoresis Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  No  No  Fasting specimen required (10-hour overnight fast) Venepuncture  
Lithium Lithium Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No  Blood should be taken 12 hours after last dose Venepuncture.  
Liver Biopsy Copper level Copper, Liver Tissue Liver tissue  Sterile container  Yes  No  A DRY Specimen is required, DO NOTpreserved in formalin or saline. Collected by referring clinician.  
Liver Biopsy Iron level Iron, Liver Tissue Liver tissue  Sterile container  Yes  No   
Liver Function Test Liver Function Test Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
Liver Function Tests (LFT) Liver Function Test Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
LKM antibodies (Liver Kidney Microsome antibodies) Anti-Liver Kidney Microsome antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
Low vaginal swab Vaginal Swabs, Microscopy and culture Vaginal Swabs  Transswab- swab in transport medium  No  No  The referring clinician collects high vaginal specimens. Viral and chlamydia PCR kits are availabl... (more)  
Low vaginal swab for Group B streptococcus screen Group B streptococcus screen Low Vaginal swab  Transswab- swab in transport medium  No  No  Rectal swab may also be processed. Low vaginal swab  
Lp(a) Lipoprotein (a) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  Yes  Overnight fast Venepuncture  
Lupus Anticoagulant Screen Lupus Anticoagulant Screen Blood  Sodium citrate Tube 2.7 ml  No  No  Sodium citrate tubes must be filled to the line. Keep at 4ºC, deliver within 4 hours. Venepuncture.... (more)  
Lupus Inhibitor Lupus Anticoagulant Screen Blood  Sodium citrate Tube 2.7 ml  No  No  Sodium citrate tubes must be filled to the line. Keep at 4ºC, deliver within 4 hours. Venepuncture.... (more)  
Luteinising Hormone, (LH) Luteinising Hormone, (LH) Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  No  No   
Lyme Disease antibodies Lyme Disease antibodies Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No   
Lymph Node Biopsy, Histology Histology, Lymph Node Biopsy Tissue, fresh lymphoid tissue.  Sterile container  No  No  Place on ice and deliver to Anatomical Pathology within 1 hour. DO NOT USE FIXATIVE. Collected by r... (more)  
Lymphocoele Fluid, Microscopy and culture Pus, Microscopy and culture Pus  Sterile container  No  No  None. The referring clinician collects samples from unruptured abscesses by aspiration of contents w... (more)  
Lymphocyte markers Surface Marker Studies Blood or bone marrow  EDTA Tube 4 ml  No  No   
Lymphocyte Subset Analysis Lymphocyte Subset Analysis Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  No  No   
Lysis test Euglobulin Lysis Time Blood,  Sodium citrate Tube 2.7 ml  No  No  URGENT. Sodium citrate tubes must be filled to the line. Keep at 4ºC, deliver immediately. Only ... (more)  
Lysosomal Enzyme Screen Lysosomal Enzyme Screen Blood  EDTA Tube 4 ml  Yes  No  DO NOT COLLECT ON FRIDAYS; INTERSTATE SENDOUT REQUIRED Venepuncture  
Lysozyme Lysozyme Blood  Serum Separator Tube (SST)  Yes  No   
Lysozyme, Urine Lysozyme, Urine   N/A  No  No