Serum Phenylalanine Screening
Alternate Names : Phenylalanine, Phenylalanine - Serum
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How is the Test Performed?
An area of the infant's skin, usually the heel, is cleansed with antiseptic and punctured with a sharp needle or a lancet. Three drops of blood are placed in three separate test circles on a piece of paper. Cotton or a bandage may be applied to the puncture site if there is any continued bleeding.
The test paper is taken to the laboratory where it is mixed with a type of bacteria that needs phenylalanine to grow, and another substance that inhibits phenylalanine from reacting with anything else.
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