In the clinical scenario, an out-of-range lab result is defined as which of the following?

• A. A result within expected range
• B. A result outside expected range
• C. A result that has not yet been reported
• D. A duplicate result

Answer: (B)

Out-of-range means a lab result falls outside the established reference range used to judge whether a value is normal. Reference ranges are set from data on healthy populations, so values within that range are considered normal, while values outside may indicate an abnormal finding and prompt clinician review, follow-up testing, or urgent action if the deviation is large. The other possibilities describe results that are within the expected range (normal), not yet reported (pending), or a repeated measurement (duplicate), none of which indicate an abnormal value relative to the reference standard.