A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects genetic material from a pathogen or abnormal cell sample. Ways of collecting samples include a nasal swab, a saliva swab, or taking a sample of blood.

Most of these were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, but the use of lateral flow tests (LFT) is expected to soar in the coming months. That is because the government recently announced that ...

Labs like this run "PCR tests," or polymerase chain reaction tests. Considered the "gold standard," it means reading the sample, or "specimen," more closely. “When we're doing the PCR testing ...