Lab results typically take anywhere from a few hours to several days or weeks depending on the type of test.
- Routine blood tests (such as Complete Blood Count, Basic Metabolic Panel, or Lipid Panel) usually have results ready within 24 hours to 3 days.
- More specialized tests, such as liver function tests or metabolic panels, may take 1 to 3 days.
- Some tests requiring microorganism growth or complex analysis can take several days to weeks.
- For example, Vitamin D tests may take up to 3 weeks, and rheumatoid arthritis tests around 1 week.
- Chest X-rays or scans could take up to 10 days or more.
Generally, doctors receive results electronically within 24 to 72 hours for routine tests and will contact patients if abnormalities are found. Otherwise, patients may receive results through an online portal or at follow-up appointments.
