Table: Some Recommended Screening Tests*, †-Merck Manual Consumer Version

Some Recommended Screening Tests*, †

Condition	Test	For	How Often
Abdominal aortic aneurysm	Abdominal ultrasonography	Men age 65–75 who smoke or who have previously smoked	Once
Alcohol misuse	Questions about drinking habits	Adults	Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (for example, when under new stresses or if lifestyle changes)
Anxiety	Questions about symptoms, such as an upset stomach	Children age 8–18 years Adults, including women during and after pregnancy	Once
Breast cancer and ovarian cancer	Genetic counseling and possible genetic testing for the BRCA mutation, which indicates an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers	Women with several close, usually first-degree relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer	Once
Breast cancer	Mammography	Women age 50–74 For women under age 50, consultation with their doctor about individualized screening	Every 2 years
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	Women at high risk (such as those with close relatives who have had breast cancer)	When mammography is done
Cervical cancer	Papanicolaou (Pap) test or another similar test and sometimes a test for human papillomavirus (HPV)	For women age 25–65	One of the following: At least every 3 years with a Pap test Every 5 years with high-risk HPV testing‡ alone Every 5 years with high-risk HPV testing plus a Pap test
Cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke)	Questions about risk factors, measurement of blood pressure and weight, blood tests for cholesterol (lipid profile) and blood sugar	All adults over 20	Annual questioning about risk factors and check of blood pressure and weight Blood sugar every 3 years Lipid profile every 5 years
Chlamydial infection	A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the vagina with a swab	Sexually active women who are 24 or younger Women who are 25 or older and have risk factors (such as several sex partners or a sexually transmitted infection)	At least yearly
		Pregnant women who are 24 or younger Pregnant women who are 25 or older and have risk factors	During the first prenatal visit and during the 3rd trimester
	A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the urethra or rectum with a swab, regardless of condom use	Men who have had sex with men within the previous year	At least yearly regardless of condom use Every 3–6 months if men have an increased risk of the infection (for example, if they or their sex partners have had several sex partners)
	Tests based on anatomy	All transgender men,and gender diverse people with a cervix.	Yearly
Colorectal cancer	Colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, tests to check stool for blood (fecal occult blood tests [FOBT] or fecal immunochemical test [FIT]) or cancer DNA (FIT-DNA)	Adults age 45–75 For adults under age 45, consultation with their doctor about individual screening depending on their risk factor profile (such as family history or certain bowel disorders)	For average-risk people, one of the following: FOBT or FIT yearly FIT-DNA every 1–3 years Colonoscopy every 10 years CT colonography every 5 years Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or every 10 years with FIT every year
Dental problems	Check-up with dentist	All (regular check ups should start when the first tooth appears or before a child's first birthday)	Every 3–12 months for children and adolescents under age 18 Every 12–24 months for people aged 18 or older
Depression	Questions, including standardized questionnaires	Adults and children 11 or older	Once and periodically, such as during stressful circumstances (for example, divorce, job or lifestyle change, or death in the family)
Diabetes	Blood tests to measure hemoglobin A1C or the blood sugar level	Adults who are between ages 35 and 70 and those who are overweight, who have high blood pressure or high levels of cholesterol and/or other fats (lipids) in the blood, or who have had high blood sugar levels in the past All children and adolescents who do not have symptoms, are age 10 or older (or after puberty begins), and are overweight or obese or who have other risk factors, such as a mother who had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)	Every 3 years, depending on risk factors and the results of previous tests During pregnancy: At 24 weeks of pregnancy or later
Gonorrhea	A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the vagina with a swab	Women who are 24 or younger and are sexually active Women who are 25 or older and have risk factors (such as several sex partners or a sexually transmitted infection) All pregnant women during first prenatal visit Men who have had sex with men within the previous year	Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (such as with new sex partners or after becoming pregnant)
Hearing loss	Hearing examination	Adults age 50 or older	Different recommendations by national organizations such as Once every 10 years by an audiologists and every 3 years after age 50 and more often in people who have been exposed to loud noise or who have other risk factors for hearing loss
Hemolytic disease of the newborn	Rh(D) incompatibility screening Sometimes other tests, depending on test results	Pregnant women	At the first prenatal visit
Hepatitis B	Blood test for infection with the hepatitis B virus	Pregnant women, household contacts, intravenous drugs users, men who have sex with men. and numerous other risk factors	At the first prenatal visit
Hepatitis C	Blood test for infection with the hepatitis C virus	Adults age 18–79 People who have risk factors (such as using intravenous drugs)	Once
High blood pressure (hypertension)	Blood pressure measurement	Adults and children 3 or older	Every office visit or once a year
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including AIDS	Blood or saliva test for infection with HIV	Everyone aged 15–65 years, those over 65 with risk factors for HIV infection, and all pregnant women	At least once and again if new high-risk activity occurs (for example, having more than one sex partner, using injection drugs, and, in men, having sex with men)
Lung cancer	Low-dose CT	People who are age 50–80 and smoke 20 or more packs a year and currently smoke or have quit only within the past 15 years	Every year
Osteoporosis	Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure bone density	All women aged 65 or older Women under 65 if they are at risk of fractures due to osteoporosis or have risk factors for osteoporosis (such as close relative who have osteoporosis or a low body weight, who smoke, or take corticosteroids or other medications that can cause bone loss)	At least once
Overweight in adults and children	Measurement of height and weight Calculation of body mass index (BMI)	All adults and children 6 or older	Every scheduled office visit or once a year
Reduced vision	Age-appropriate eye examination and vision testing for amblyopia/strabismus, refractive error, and any other problems that can cause reduced vision	All	Different recommendations by national organizations such as Children: By age 6 months (for eye health, vision development, and alignment of the eyes) At least once in all children age 3 to 5 years to detect amblyopia or its risk factors Adults age 65 or older: Every 1–2 years
Syphilis	Blood test for the infection	Adults with risk factors such as Having several sex partners Having had a previous sexually transmitted disease Being pregnant For men, having sex with men	Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (such as having new sex partners or becoming pregnant)
Tobacco use	Questions about using tobacco	All adolescents and adults	Every office visit
* Based on recommendations from various major authorities in the United States. However, differences do exist among their recommendations. Also, people with increased risk of a disease are usually screened more often. Not all recommendations are included in this table.
† Screening measures that can be done at home include regularly measuring weight and, once yearly, checking the skin for changes and for sores that bleed. People can ask another person (such as a spouse) to check their skin in areas that are difficult to see, such as the back or behind the ears. Some physicians suggest that men check for lumps in their testes, although evidence of the effectiveness of doing so is unclear.
‡ High-risk HPV testing involves testing for the types of HPV that are most likely to cause cervical cancer. This test can identify pieces of the DNA of these cancers in cervical cells.

Condition

Test

For

How Often

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Abdominal ultrasonography

Men age 65–75 who smoke or who have previously smoked

Once

Alcohol misuse

Questions about drinking habits

Adults

Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (for example, when under new stresses or if lifestyle changes)

Anxiety

Questions about symptoms, such as an upset stomach

Children age 8–18 years

Adults, including women during and after pregnancy

Once

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer

Genetic counseling and possible genetic testing for the BRCA mutation, which indicates an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers

Women with several close, usually first-degree relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer

Once

Breast cancer

Mammography

Women age 50–74

For women under age 50, consultation with their doctor about individualized screening

Every 2 years

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Women at high risk (such as those with close relatives who have had breast cancer)

When mammography is done

Cervical cancer

Papanicolaou (Pap) test or another similar test and sometimes a test for human papillomavirus (HPV)

For women age 25–65

One of the following:

At least every 3 years with a Pap test
Every 5 years with high-risk HPV testing‡ alone
Every 5 years with high-risk HPV testing plus a Pap test

Cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke)

Questions about risk factors, measurement of blood pressure and weight, blood tests for cholesterol (lipid profile) and blood sugar

All adults over 20

Annual questioning about risk factors and check of blood pressure and weight

Blood sugar every 3 years

Lipid profile every 5 years

Chlamydial infection

A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the vagina with a swab

Sexually active women who are 24 or younger

Women who are 25 or older and have risk factors (such as several sex partners or a sexually transmitted infection)

At least yearly

Pregnant women who are 24 or younger

Pregnant women who are 25 or older and have risk factors

During the first prenatal visit and during the 3rd trimester

A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the urethra or rectum with a swab, regardless of condom use

Men who have had sex with men within the previous year

At least yearly regardless of condom use

Every 3–6 months if men have an increased risk of the infection (for example, if they or their sex partners have had several sex partners)

Tests based on anatomy

All transgender men,and gender diverse people with a cervix.

Yearly

Colorectal cancer

Colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, tests to check stool for blood (fecal occult blood tests [FOBT] or fecal immunochemical test [FIT]) or cancer DNA (FIT-DNA)

Adults age 45–75

For adults under age 45, consultation with their doctor about individual screening depending on their risk factor profile (such as family history or certain bowel disorders)

For average-risk people, one of the following:

FOBT or FIT yearly

FIT-DNA every 1–3 years

Colonoscopy every 10 years

CT colonography every 5 years

Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or every 10 years with FIT every year

Dental problems

Check-up with dentist

All (regular check ups should start when the first tooth appears or before a child's first birthday)

Every 3–12 months for children and adolescents under age 18

Every 12–24 months for people aged 18 or older

Depression

Questions, including standardized questionnaires

Adults and children 11 or older

Once and periodically, such as during stressful circumstances (for example, divorce, job or lifestyle change, or death in the family)

Diabetes

Blood tests to measure hemoglobin A1C or the blood sugar level

Adults who are between ages 35 and 70 and those who are overweight, who have high blood pressure or high levels of cholesterol and/or other fats (lipids) in the blood, or who have had high blood sugar levels in the past

All children and adolescents who do not have symptoms, are age 10 or older (or after puberty begins), and are overweight or obese or who have other risk factors, such as a mother who had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)

Every 3 years, depending on risk factors and the results of previous tests

During pregnancy: At 24 weeks of pregnancy or later

Gonorrhea

A DNA test using a urine sample or a sample taken from the vagina with a swab

Women who are 24 or younger and are sexually active

Women who are 25 or older and have risk factors (such as several sex partners or a sexually transmitted infection)

All pregnant women during first prenatal visit

Men who have had sex with men within the previous year

Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (such as with new sex partners or after becoming pregnant)

Hearing loss

Hearing examination

Adults age 50 or older

Different recommendations by national organizations such as

Once every 10 years by an audiologists and every 3 years after age 50 and more often in people who have been exposed to loud noise or who have other risk factors for hearing loss

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

Rh(D) incompatibility screening

Sometimes other tests, depending on test results

Pregnant women

At the first prenatal visit

Hepatitis B

Blood test for infection with the hepatitis B virus

Pregnant women, household contacts, intravenous drugs users, men who have sex with men. and numerous other risk factors

At the first prenatal visit

Hepatitis C

Blood test for infection with the hepatitis C virus

Adults age 18–79

People who have risk factors (such as using intravenous drugs)

Once

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Blood pressure measurement

Adults and children 3 or older

Every office visit or once a year

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including AIDS

Blood or saliva test for infection with HIV

Everyone aged 15–65 years, those over 65 with risk factors for HIV infection, and all pregnant women

At least once and again if new high-risk activity occurs (for example, having more than one sex partner, using injection drugs, and, in men, having sex with men)

Lung cancer

Low-dose CT

People who are age 50–80 and smoke 20 or more packs a year and currently smoke or have quit only within the past 15 years

Every year

Osteoporosis

Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure bone density

All women aged 65 or older

Women under 65 if they are at risk of fractures due to osteoporosis or have risk factors for osteoporosis (such as close relative who have osteoporosis or a low body weight, who smoke, or take corticosteroids or other medications that can cause bone loss)

At least once

Overweight in adults and children

Measurement of height and weight

Calculation of body mass index (BMI)

All adults and children 6 or older

Every scheduled office visit or once a year

Reduced vision

Age-appropriate eye examination and vision testing for amblyopia/strabismus, refractive error, and any other problems that can cause reduced vision

All

Different recommendations by national organizations such as

Children: By age 6 months (for eye health, vision development, and alignment of the eyes)

At least once in all children age 3 to 5 years to detect amblyopia or its risk factors

Adults age 65 or older: Every 1–2 years

Syphilis

Blood test for the infection

Adults with risk factors such as

Having several sex partners
Having had a previous sexually transmitted disease
Being pregnant
For men, having sex with men

Once and periodically, as when circumstances change (such as having new sex partners or becoming pregnant)

Tobacco use

Questions about using tobacco

All adolescents and adults

Every office visit

* Based on recommendations from various major authorities in the United States. However, differences do exist among their recommendations. Also, people with increased risk of a disease are usually screened more often. Not all recommendations are included in this table.

† Screening measures that can be done at home include regularly measuring weight and, once yearly, checking the skin for changes and for sores that bleed. People can ask another person (such as a spouse) to check their skin in areas that are difficult to see, such as the back or behind the ears. Some physicians suggest that men check for lumps in their testes, although evidence of the effectiveness of doing so is unclear.

‡ High-risk HPV testing involves testing for the types of HPV that are most likely to cause cervical cancer. This test can identify pieces of the DNA of these cancers in cervical cells.