D-dimer testing is used to evaluate which condition?

• A. Presence of blood clots and their breakdown
• B. Renal failure
• C. Liver cirrhosis
• D. Hyperglycemia

Answer: (D)

D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product that appears when a blood clot forms and is broken down by the body’s fibrinolytic system. Because of that, the test is used to help assess whether clots are forming and being dissolved, such as in suspected deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, and to evaluate processes like disseminated intravascular coagulation. A normal, low D-dimer can help rule out clotting in patients with low to moderate pretest probability, while an elevated level indicates that clot formation and breakdown is occurring, though it isn’t specific to a single condition and can be raised in many non-thrombotic states. It is not used to evaluate renal failure, liver cirrhosis, or hyperglycemia, which are assessed with other tests.