Your doctor has given you a test request slip — but where do you go? Pakistan has many types of medical testing facilities, each specialising in different types of tests. Understanding the difference between a diagnostic center, a pathology lab, and an imaging center can save you time and ensure you get the right test done at the right place.

Diagnostic Center

A Diagnostic Center is the most common type of medical testing facility in Pakistan. They offer a wide range of tests under one roof — blood tests, urine tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, and sometimes even CT scans and MRI. Major diagnostic chains in Pakistan include Chughtai Lab, Essa Lab, IDC, and Islamabad Diagnostic Centre.

Common tests: Complete blood count (CBC), blood sugar, cholesterol, liver function tests, kidney function tests, thyroid tests, urine tests.

Pathology Lab — Clinical Laboratory

A Pathology Lab — also called a Clinical Laboratory or Medical Laboratory — specialises in analysing blood, urine, tissue, and other body fluid samples. Pathologists are doctors who specialise in diagnosing disease through laboratory analysis.

Common tests: Blood tests, urine culture, biopsy analysis, cancer markers, hormone levels, infection screening.

When to visit: When your doctor requests blood tests, urine tests, or tissue analysis.

Imaging Center

An Imaging Center specialises in medical imaging — producing visual images of the inside of the body to help doctors diagnose conditions. They use X-rays, CT scans, MRI machines, and other advanced equipment.

Common services: X-ray, CT scan, MRI, mammography, bone density scan (DEXA).

When to visit: When your doctor requests an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI — typically for bone injuries, brain conditions, chest problems, or cancer screening.

Ultrasound Center

An Ultrasound Center uses sound waves to produce images of internal organs. Ultrasound is safe, painless, and does not use radiation — making it the preferred imaging method during pregnancy. In Pakistan, ultrasound centers are extremely common and widely available in all cities.

Common uses: Pregnancy monitoring, abdominal organ examination (liver, kidneys, gallbladder), pelvic scan, thyroid scan, guided biopsy.

When to visit: Pregnancy checkups, abdominal pain, kidney stones, liver disease monitoring, thyroid problems.

X-Ray Center

An X-Ray Center uses radiation to produce images of bones and certain organs. X-rays are quick, affordable, and widely available across Pakistan. They are most commonly used to examine bones for fractures, the chest for lung conditions, and the abdomen.

Common uses: Bone fractures, chest infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis screening, dental X-rays.

When to visit: Suspected bone fracture, chest pain, persistent cough, before dental procedures.

CT Scan Center

A CT Scan Center — also called a CAT scan — uses X-rays and computer processing to produce detailed cross-sectional images of the body. CT scans provide much more detail than regular X-rays and are used to diagnose complex conditions.

Common uses: Brain injuries, internal bleeding, cancer detection, lung disease, abdominal conditions.

When to visit: Head injury, stroke symptoms, suspected internal injury, cancer staging, complex abdominal pain.

MRI Center

An MRI Center uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of soft tissues — muscles, ligaments, brain, and spinal cord. Unlike CT scans, MRI does not use radiation. MRI machines are expensive and less widely available than CT scanners in Pakistan.

Common uses: Brain tumours, spinal disc problems, ligament and muscle injuries, multiple sclerosis, stroke evaluation.

When to visit: Spinal pain, brain conditions, sports injuries, neurological symptoms.

ECG Center

An ECG Center — also called an EKG Center — performs electrocardiograms to measure the electrical activity of the heart. ECGs are quick, painless, and non-invasive. They are often available at general diagnostic centers and hospitals as well as dedicated cardiac clinics.

Common uses: Chest pain evaluation, heart rhythm monitoring, pre-surgery cardiac assessment, palpitations.

When to visit: Chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, before any surgery.

Blood Test Lab

A Blood Test Lab focuses specifically on blood analysis. Many standalone blood test labs operate across Pakistan — they collect blood samples and send them for analysis at a central laboratory. They are often more affordable than full diagnostic centers.

Common tests: Complete blood count (CBC), blood sugar (fasting and random), HbA1c for diabetes, hepatitis B and C screening, HIV test, cholesterol panel, blood group.

Sample Collection Center

A Sample Collection Center is a facility that only collects samples — blood, urine, stool — and sends them to a partner laboratory for analysis. They do not perform the testing themselves. They are convenient, widely available, and often cheaper than full diagnostic centers.

When to visit: When you have a test request from your doctor and want a convenient nearby location to give your sample.

Radiology Center

A Radiology Center specialises in all types of medical imaging — X-rays, CT scans, MRI, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine. Radiologists are doctors who specialise in interpreting these images and providing reports to your treating doctor.

When to visit: Any imaging procedure that requires a radiologist's specialist interpretation — complex CT or MRI scans, angiography.

Dental Laboratory

A Dental Laboratory is not a testing facility — it is a technical facility that makes dental prosthetics — crowns, bridges, dentures, braces, and implants — based on impressions taken by your dentist. Your dentist sends your impressions to a dental lab, and the lab fabricates the restoration.

Note: Patients do not visit dental laboratories directly — your dentist handles all communication with the lab.

Eye Care Center — Optician

An Eye Care Center or Optician checks your vision and prescribes glasses or contact lenses. They perform refraction tests, check eye pressure, and fit glasses. An Optician is not a medical doctor — for eye disease, you need to visit an Ophthalmologist at an Eye Hospital or Eye Clinic.

When to visit: Blurred vision, need for glasses or contact lenses, routine eye checkup.

Physiotherapy Center

A Physiotherapy Center provides physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Physiotherapists use exercises, manual therapy, ultrasound therapy, and electrical stimulation to treat pain, injuries, and post-surgical recovery.

When to visit: Back pain, sports injuries, post-surgery recovery, stroke rehabilitation, joint stiffness.

Speech Therapy Center

A Speech Therapy Center provides assessment and treatment for speech, language, and swallowing disorders. They work with children who have delayed speech, adults recovering from stroke, and people with stammering or voice disorders.

When to visit: Child with delayed speech, stuttering, voice problems, swallowing difficulties after stroke.

Diabetes Testing Center

A Diabetes Testing Center — often part of a larger diagnostic center — specialises in diabetes monitoring tests. Pakistan has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world, making these facilities increasingly important.

Common tests: Fasting blood sugar, random blood sugar, HbA1c (3-month average blood sugar), insulin levels, diabetic foot assessment.

When to visit: Newly diagnosed diabetes, routine diabetes monitoring, suspected diabetes symptoms — excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue.

Vaccination Center

A Vaccination Center provides immunisation services for both children and adults. Routine childhood vaccinations are available at government health centers, while travel vaccines and optional vaccines are more commonly available at private vaccination centers.

Common vaccines in Pakistan: Polio, hepatitis B, measles, typhoid, meningitis, COVID-19, influenza, travel vaccines.

Thalassemia Center

A Thalassemia Center specialises in screening, diagnosis, and management of thalassemia — a blood disorder that is unfortunately very common in Pakistan. Pre-marital thalassemia screening is strongly recommended across Pakistan to prevent the condition in children.

When to visit: Pre-marital blood screening, suspected thalassemia, regular transfusion for thalassemia major patients.

Dialysis Center

A Dialysis Center provides kidney dialysis for patients with chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. Dialysis patients typically visit three times per week for sessions lasting 3-4 hours. Both government and private dialysis centers are available across Pakistan.

When to visit: Chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis, acute kidney failure.

Hijama Center

A Hijama Center provides cupping therapy — a traditional Islamic and alternative medicine practice. Hijama involves applying suction cups to the skin to draw out blood and is believed to treat a wide range of conditions. It is widely practiced across Pakistan and considered a Sunnah practice in Islam.

Understanding your test report

When you receive your test report, keep these tips in mind:

  • Always take your report back to the doctor who requested the test — do not try to interpret it yourself
  • Normal ranges printed on the report are general guidelines — your doctor considers your individual situation
  • Keep all your test reports — they are important for tracking your health over time
  • If you have tests done at one lab, try to continue at the same lab for follow-up tests — different labs may have slightly different normal ranges
  • Major chains like Chughtai Lab and Essa Lab allow you to receive reports online — ask for this service

Tips for getting medical tests done in Pakistan

  • Fasting tests — Blood sugar and cholesterol tests usually require 8-12 hours of fasting. Drink only water before a fasting test
  • Timing matters — Some hormone tests like thyroid and cortisol must be done at specific times of day
  • Bring your prescription — Always carry your doctor's test request when visiting a lab
  • Compare prices — Test prices vary significantly between labs. Major chains often run discounts
  • Home collection — Many major labs in Pakistan offer home sample collection for a small additional fee

Find laboratories and diagnostic centers near you

Browse verified laboratories, diagnostic centers, and imaging facilities across Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Quetta on AtaPata — with contact details, addresses and opening hours all in one place.

Part of AtaPata's Healthcare Guide Series

We're publishing a growing series of healthcare guides covering doctors, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and health services across Pakistan. Each guide is carefully researched to help patients make informed decisions.

Continue reading our latest guides below: