Question

Discuss LOINC - health standard and breakdown of LOINC Message and an example of LOINC Message type. Thanks.

Answer 1

LOINC Term Basics

LOINC's goal is to create different codes for each test, measurement, or observation that has a clinically different meaning. To do that LOINC codes distinguish a given observation (test ordered/reported, survey question, clinical document) across six dimensions that we call Parts.

LOINC Parts

1.COMPONENT (ANALYTE)

The substance or entity being measured or observed.

2.PROPERTY

Thecharacteristic or attribute of the analyte.

3.TIME

The interval of time over which an observation was made.

4.SYSTEM (SPECIMEN)

The specimen or thing upon which the observation was made.

5.SCALE

Howthe observation value is quantified or expressed: quantitative, ordinal, nominal.

6.METHOD

OPTIONAL A high-level classification of how the observation was made. Only needed when the technique affects the clinical interpretation of the results

Example LOINC

Here is a breakdown of the LOINC for a manual count of white blood cells in cerebral spinal fluid specimen, which is represented by LOINC code 806-0:

COMPONENT (ANALYTE)

Leukocytes (white blood cells)

PROPERTY

NCnc (Number concentration)

TIME

Pt (Point in time)

SYSTEM (SPECIMEN)

CSF (Cerebral spinal fluid)

SCALE

Qn (Quantitative)

METHOD

Manual Count

LOINC Names

LOINC creates several different text labels (names) to represent each concept. We call the six-part formal name, as described above, the Fully-Specified Name (FSN). We also create a more clinician-friendly display called the Long Common Name (LCN) and a Short Name that can be handy when you need a column header in a report. Here are the names for LOINC code 806-0:

Fully-Specified Name (FSN)
Leukocytes: NCnc: Pt: CSF: Qn: Manual count

Long Common Name (LCN)
Leukocytes [#/volume] in Cerebral spinal fluid by Manual count

Short Name
WBC # CSF Manual