A blood test can check for rising levels of alpha fetoprotein, indicative of fetal problems.

Alpha fetoprotein: A substance produced by the fetus.

Serum alpha fetoprotein is not elevated in classical seminoma.

To test for the birth defects, technicians first look for the fetal protein, alpha fetoprotein, in the pregnant woman's blood.

Certain body chemicals such as alpha fetoprotein and beta human chorionic gonadotrophin are produced by some testicular cancers.

The benefits of serum alpha fetoprotein and abdominal sonography as screening tools for HCC have not been studied in children.

Such tumor markers are, for instance, CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) and AFP (alpha fetoprotein).

In the fourth phase of progress, population-based antenatal screening - maternal serum alpha fetoprotein and ultrasound screening, sometimes complemented by amniocentesis - has been proven to have a substantial effect.

As they report in the current issue of The Lancet, a British medical journal, alpha fetoprotein and estriol levels are low in the first trimester in blood of women carrying fetuses with Down's syndrome.

Some clinicians recommend monitoring HBV-infected children or adolescents for HCC with baseline screening and then yearly determinations of serum alpha fetoprotein levels and abdominal ultrasonography; however, no data support the benefit of such surveillance (641,657,659,660).

Some experts will perform periodic sonographic screening at defined intervals (every 2--5 years) in children with chronic HCV infection; others will do these tests only in those with advanced liver disease and/or rising serum alpha fetoprotein concentrations (748).

Other tests may include liver function tests (LFT), CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, biphasic helical CAT scan, alpha fetoprotein, PIVKA-II, glucose, hepatitis screening, and ECG.

Second trimester maternal serum screening (AFP screening, triple screen, quad screen, or penta screen) can check levels of alpha fetoprotein, β-hCG, inhibin-A, estriol, and h-hCG (hyperglycosolated hCG) in the woman's serum.

The researchers have discovered, by chance more than by design, that at about 16 to 18 weeks into gestation fetuses with Down's syndrome are making abnormally small amounts of two fetal proteins, estriol and alpha fetoprotein, and abnormally large amounts of another, human chorionic gonadotropin.

Same Blood Sample Used Doctors already routinely obtain blood samples from women at the 16th week of pregnancy to test for alpha fetoprotein levels as a screening test for neural tube defects, developmental defects that can often lead to partial paralysis and sometimes to mental retardation.

Women with high levels of the protein in their blood are referred for sonograms and those with suspicious sonograms are referred for amniocentesis, in which doctors examine the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus and confirm the high levels of alpha fetoprotein.

Although no evidence-based long-term monitoring guidelines exist for children with perinatally acquired HCV, many experts monitor HCV RNA levels and serum transaminase levels every 6--12 months and hemogram and serum alpha fetoprotein levels annually (748).

First trimester maternal serum screening can check levels of free β-hCG, PAPP-A, alpha fetoprotein, intact or beta hCG, inhibin-A, or h-hCG in the woman's serum, and combine these with the measurement of nuchal translucency (NT).

The term "atypical facial pain" has been criticized.

The features of atypical facial pain can be considered according to the Socrates pain assessment method (see table).

There is considerable symptom overlap between atypical facial pain and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.

Some consider BMS to be a variant of atypical facial pain.

Surgical procedures are not indicated for Atypical Facial Pain."

Atypical facial pain.

Some sources consider atypical odontalgia to be a sub-type of atypical facial pain, although others treat them as the same entity.

Treatment of TMD may then significantly reduce symptoms of otalgia and tinnitus, as well as atypical facial pain.

The lesion consists of ischemic osteonecrosis found in the jaws of patients with symptoms of atypical facial pain or trigeminal neuralgia.

Persistent idiopathic facial pain (the IHS's perferred term for atypical facial pain)

There are presently no accepted medical tests which consistently discriminate between facial pain syndromes or differentiate Atypical Facial Pain from other syndromes.

TMD is considered by some to be one of the 4 major symptom complexes in chronic orofacial pain, along with burning mouth syndrome, atypical facial pain and atypical odontalgia.

More recently, BMS has been described as one of the 4 recognizable symptom complexes of chronic facial pain, along with atypical facial pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction and atypical odontalgia.

The management of treatment-resistant depression in disorders on the interface of psychiatry and medicine: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, atypical facial pain, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

This last category (TN7) was termed atypical facial pain, although many cases that would otherwise be traditionally labelled as AFP would fall into other groups in this classification, especially into the second group.

The term "Atypical Facial Pain" is sometimes assigned to pain which crosses the mid-line of the face or otherwise does not conform to expected boundaries of nerve distributions or characteristics of validated medical entities.

Due to the variability and imprecision of their pain symptoms, ATN or Atypical Odontalgia patients may be misdiagnosed with "Atypical Facial Pain" or "hypochondriasis", both of which are considered problematic by many practitioners.

As noted in material published by the [US] National Pain Foundation: "Atypical Facial Pain is a confusing term and should never be used to describe patients with trigeminal neuralgia or trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Atypical Facial Pain (AFP, also termed atypical facial neuralgia, chronic idiopathic facial pain, or psychogenic facial pain), is a type of chronic facial pain which does not fulfill any other diagnosis.

Moreover, it involves the diagnosis and follow-up of pre-malignant lesions of the oral cavity, like leukoplakia or erythroplakia and of chronic and acute pain conditions such as paroxysmal neuralgias, continuous neuralgias, myofascial pain, atypical facial pain, autonomic cephalalgias, headaches and migraines.