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Procedures & Tests Beginning With F
9 procedures and tests in this guide begin with the letter F. Every name links to a plain-language page covering what the procedure is, how to prepare, what happens during it, and what recovery involves.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X
| Procedure / test | Category | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Faecal calprotectin and stool tests | Digestive | Stool tests analyse a small sample of faeces in the laboratory. Key examples are faecal calprotectin, which reflects inflammation in the bowel, the FIT test, which detects hidden blood, and tests for infections such as C. difficile and parasites. |
| FeNO test (exhaled nitric oxide) | Lungs & Breathing | The FeNO test measures nitric oxide in your breath, a marker of a particular type of airway inflammation (eosinophilic/Th2 inflammation) that is typical of allergic asthma and predicts response to inhaled steroids. |
| Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology | Biopsies & Lab Tests | Fine needle aspiration uses a thin needle to draw out cells from a lump or gland for cytology (looking at individual cells). It is quick, needs no anaesthetic in most sites, and is a first-line test for thyroid nodules, neck lumps, salivary gland lumps and some breast and lymph node assessments. |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | Endoscopy | A flexible sigmoidoscopy examines the lower part of the large bowel (rectum and sigmoid colon) with a thin, flexible camera, to a depth of roughly the final third of the colon. |
| Fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray) | Imaging & Scans | Fluoroscopy is a moving X-ray picture — like an X-ray video — that lets doctors watch structures and instruments in real time. It is used to guide many procedures and to watch swallowing, bowel movement and joint movement as they happen. |
| Fracture fixation surgery (ORIF) | Bones, Joints & Spine | Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is surgery to realign a broken bone and hold it with metal plates, screws, rods or wires while it heals. It is used for fractures that are displaced, unstable, involve a joint surface, or cannot be held accurately in a cast. |
| Frenuloplasty / frenotomy (tongue-tie division) | Minor Procedures & Pain | A frenotomy divides the thin band (lingual frenulum) under the tongue in babies with tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) when it interferes with feeding; a frenuloplasty is a more formal release and repair used in older children or adults with significant restriction. |
| Full lung function tests (PFTs with gas transfer) | Lungs & Breathing | Full pulmonary function tests extend spirometry with two more measurements: lung volumes (how much air the lungs hold, measured in a sealed booth or by gas dilution) and gas transfer (DLCO — how well oxygen passes from air into blood, measured with a breath-hold using a harmless trace gas mixture). |
| Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) | Eyes | Fluorescein angiography photographs the circulation of the retina: a yellow dye (fluorescein) is injected into an arm vein and a special camera takes a rapid series of pictures as the dye flows through the retinal blood vessels, showing leaks, blockages and abnormal new vessels. |
Please note: This page is educational information about a medical procedure or test. It does not replace the instructions of your own care team, who know your situation and whose preparation, fasting and medication advice you should follow if it differs from anything here. If you have symptoms that worry you, or an appointment you do not understand, contact your clinical team.