Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Procedures, Examinations and DiagnosticsHard
A patient presents for a point-of-care urine hCG pregnancy test. The result shows only a faint colored line in the control region with no line in the test region after the recommended reading time. How should this result be interpreted?
- APositive for pregnancy
- BIndeterminate, requires a serum hCG confirmation
- CNegative for pregnancy
- DInvalid, the test must be repeated
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Negative for pregnancy
A visible control line confirms the test is working correctly; the absence of a line in the test region indicates a negative result. The test is valid because the control line appeared, ruling out an invalid result.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A positive result requires a visible line in the test region, which is absent here.
- B. No indeterminate category exists when the control line is clearly present and the test line is absent.
- D. The test is valid, not invalid, since the control line appeared as expected.
POC hCG Test Interpretation
Rapid immunoassay for urine hCG relying on a control line to validate results and a test line to indicate pregnancy status.
- Control line must appear for the test to be valid
- Test line present + control line = positive
- Control line only, no test line = negative; no control line = invalid test
Memory trick: 'Control confirms, test line tells'