8 medical tests you don't need

Dec 14, 2009 4:34 PM

More than 40 percent of routine preventive exams included D-rated tests, according to a 2006 study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Many of those tests should be limited to people who have symptoms or risk factors for specific conditions. Listed below are several tests that healthy and average risk people generally don't need.

1. Urine cultures for bacteria in men and in women who aren't pregnant. Exceptions: People who have symptoms of a urinary-tract infection.

2. Blood tests, manual exams, or ultrasound to screen for ovarian cancer in women. Exceptions: Your mother or a sister had the malignancy or you have symptoms of the disease, such as frequent lower abdominal pain and an unexplained sensation of bloating.

3. The genetic test for the breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA). Exceptions: You have a history of breast or ovarian cancer or a relative who has tested positive for the mutation. Even then, talk with a genetic counselor before undergoing the test.

4. Pap smears in women who have had a total hysterectomy for a noncancerous condition such as fibroids, or in those over age 65 who have had three or more normal smears in the last 10 years and who have not had cervical cancer.
5. The PSA blood test for prostate cancer in men who are older than 75 or have less than a 10-year life expectancy. Other men should weigh the unproven benefit of that test against its possible risks, notably false alarms that can lead to unnecessary testing and treatment.
6. Ultrasounds for plaque buildup in the neck's carotid arteries. Exceptions: Your doctor hears a swishing sound, called a bruit, with a stethoscope, or you have had a stroke or mini-stroke.
7. Ultrasounds for peripheral artery disease or clogged leg arteries. Exceptions: You're at high risk of heart disease and your doctor detects weak or absent pulses in your feet, or you have symptoms such as pain in a calf while walking or foot wounds that won't heal.

8. Screenings for heart disease using electrocardiograms (EKGs), exercise treadmill tests, or electron-beam computerized tomography (EBCT). Exceptions: You have coronary artery disease or are at high risk for it and plan to start a vigorous exercise program.

Take a look at the tests you DO need, and how often you should get them, and find out how to work with your doctor to get the most from necessary screening tests. And we've all heard about at-home medical tests—find out when it's fine to do-it-yourself and when you should leave it to your the doctor.