Back to Top Laboratory Diagnosis of Low Testosterone Determination of low testosterone may require more than one blood test. Often, a low testosterone reading in one of the above areas may not necessarily indicate that a man is suffering from low testosterone. Some men with low levels of SHBG and normal blood levels of free testosterone may have only slightly reduced levels of total testosterone. Therefore, labs often measure the total testosterone levels as well as its components. Back to Top Other Tests Because low testosterone levels may affect bone mass, the doctor may want to assess any bone loss with bone density testing.
Genetic testing can confirm the presence of an inherited condition .
Two examination procedures are most common, and neither penetrates the skin. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses a combination of radio waves, high intensity magnetic fields and computer technology to produce images of the body's interior. If the doctor suspects that a low hormone level is the result of a testicular tumor, an ultrasound test can provide the answer. Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to form pictures of the area.