ALP (alkaline phosphatase) isoenzyme

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme test


What the risks are

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks may include:

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Fainting or feeling light-headed
  • Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
  • Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

Special considerations

This test is about 80% accurate for identifying the specific locations of cancers or disease. However, it is not a reliable screening test because levels may be high for unknown reasons and return to normal. Unless there are signs of a disease, slightly higher-than-normal values of ALP in the CHEM-20 test are not considered significant.


Images


Review Date: 05/07/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)