Melbourne Pathology is one of Victoria''s largest pathology providers and part of the Sonic Healthcare group, with collection centres across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. If your GP referred you for blood tests in Victoria, Melbourne Pathology is one of the most likely providers. This guide walks you through every part of a Melbourne Pathology report.
How to access your Melbourne Pathology results
Three ways to get your results:
- Through your GP — Melbourne Pathology releases results electronically to your referring doctor as soon as they are verified. Sonic Healthcare''s default model is that you discuss results with the doctor who ordered them.
- My Health Record — Melbourne Pathology uploads results to My Health Record automatically if you have it activated, so you can view the report yourself once it is released.
- Sonic Dx — the secure online portal your treating doctors use to view your Melbourne Pathology results anywhere. It is clinician-facing rather than a patient self-service login.
You do not need to wait for your follow-up GP appointment to see your results via My Health Record. Reading them ahead of time means you can ask better, more specific questions during your consultation.
The structure of a Melbourne Pathology report
Melbourne Pathology reports follow the standard RCPA (Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia) format used by all major Australian pathology providers. Each report includes:
- Header: your name, date of birth, Medicare number, the requesting doctor, the collection centre, the collection date and time, and a unique accession number.
- Tests grouped by panel: Full Blood Count (FBC), Liver Function Test (LFT), Urea/Electrolytes/Creatinine (U+E or EUC), Iron Studies, Lipid Panel, Thyroid Function, Hormone Panel, etc.
- For each marker: abbreviated name, your numeric value, the unit, and the reference range (sex- and age-adjusted where appropriate).
- Flags: H (high) or L (low) beside out-of-range results. HH or LL for critical results.
- Pathologist comments: interpretive notes for unusual or markedly abnormal results.
- Comparison column: Melbourne Pathology often shows your previous result on the same panel from the same lab, useful for spotting trends — though only across Melbourne Pathology collections, not other providers.
Common abbreviations on a Melbourne Pathology report
The shorthand on Australian pathology reports can feel like a foreign language. Here is the cheat sheet:
| Abbreviation | Full name | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| FBC / FBE | Full Blood Count / Examination | Red cells, white cells, platelets and indices |
| Hb | Haemoglobin | Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells |
| HCT / PCV | Haematocrit / Packed Cell Volume | Proportion of blood that is red cells |
| MCH | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin | Average haemoglobin per red cell |
| MCV | Mean Corpuscular Volume | Average size of red blood cells |
| RDW | Red cell Distribution Width | Variation in red cell size |
| LFT | Liver Function Test | ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin, albumin |
| ALT | Alanine Transaminase | Liver enzyme — most liver-specific |
| AST | Aspartate Transaminase | Liver / muscle enzyme |
| GGT | Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase | Liver / biliary enzyme; alcohol-sensitive |
| U+E / EUC | Urea, Electrolytes & Creatinine | Kidney function panel |
| eGFR | Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate | Kidney filtration rate |
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone | Pituitary signal to the thyroid |
| FT4 / FT3 | Free Thyroxine / Free Triiodothyronine | Active thyroid hormones |
| Ferritin | Ferritin | Iron storage protein |
| TIBC | Total Iron Binding Capacity | Indirect measure of transferrin |
| Trans Sat / TSAT | Transferrin Saturation | Percentage of transferrin carrying iron |
| HbA1c | Glycated Haemoglobin | 3-month average glucose |
| SHBG | Sex Hormone Binding Globulin | Hormone-binding protein |
| FAI | Free Androgen Index | Calculated free testosterone marker |
| LH / FSH | Luteinising / Follicle Stimulating Hormone | Pituitary reproductive hormones |
| AMH | Anti-Müllerian Hormone | Ovarian reserve |
| CRP / hsCRP | C-Reactive Protein / high-sensitivity CRP | Inflammation |
Reference ranges on Melbourne Pathology reports
Melbourne Pathology uses RCPA-aligned reference ranges with sex- and age-adjustments. Useful ones to know:
- ALT: men <40 U/L, women <35 U/L
- Ferritin: men 30-300 µg/L, women 15-200 µg/L (RACGP defines iron deficiency as <30 µg/L)
- TSH: 0.4-4.0 mIU/L (some specialists target 1.0-2.5 for optimal function)
- HbA1c: <5.7% normal · 5.7-6.4% prediabetes · >6.4% diabetes
- Total testosterone: men 8-29 nmol/L · women 0.5-2.5 nmol/L
- 25-OH Vitamin D: 50-150 nmol/L sufficient · 30-49 mild deficiency · <30 moderate-severe deficiency
Reminder: "normal" is not the same as "optimal". The reference range on your report describes a statistical population norm — typically the middle 95% of a healthy reference cohort. It is not necessarily the level associated with the lowest disease risk or with feeling your best.
The H and L flags
Melbourne Pathology flags out-of-range values with H or L (and HH/LL for critical results). Three principles for interpreting flags:
- Mildly flagged isolated results are often non-significant. Recent infection raises ferritin and CRP. Recent intense exercise raises CK and AST. Dehydration raises urea and haematocrit. Repeat in 4-8 weeks if your GP agrees.
- Coherent multi-marker patterns are more meaningful. Low ferritin + low haemoglobin + low MCV + low MCH = iron-deficiency anaemia. AST/ALT ratio >2 with elevated GGT = alcohol-related liver disease.
- HH or LL — critically abnormal — the Melbourne Pathology pathologist will phone your GP directly. Schedule a prompt review and follow your doctor''s advice carefully.
How to track your Melbourne Pathology results over time
Melbourne Pathology shows your most recent prior result alongside the current one on the same report — but only for tests at Melbourne Pathology. If you have ever moved interstate or used a different pathology provider (4Cyte, Laverty, QML, Dorevitch, Australian Clinical Labs), those results do not appear in the comparison column.
BloodTrack solves this. Upload your Melbourne Pathology PDF and:
- Every biomarker is extracted automatically, including from older report formats
- Each result is mapped to RCPA-aligned reference ranges
- You see clean charts of every marker over time, across all pathology providers you have ever used
- Out-of-range and near-boundary results are flagged with plain-English context
- Condition-specific patterns (PCOS, TRT, fatty liver, iron deficiency, thyroid) are surfaced automatically
BloodTrack works entirely in your browser — no download, no app store. Upload your Melbourne Pathology PDF for free instant analysis, no account needed for your first test.
What to do if there is an error on your Melbourne Pathology report
If something on your report looks clearly wrong — male reference ranges applied to a female patient, an ordered test missing, results that are inconsistent with your clinical picture — contact your referring GP first, and Melbourne Pathology via the contact page at mps.com.au/contact-us. Most issues are resolved by re-issuing a corrected report or repeating the test at no cost where appropriate.
Common Melbourne Pathology report patterns explained
For interpretation of common patterns — iron deficiency, fatty liver, thyroid dysfunction, PCOS, insulin resistance — see our companion guide: Free Online Blood Test Analysis: How to Interpret Australian Pathology Reports.
For deeper detail on each individual marker, browse the BloodTrack biomarker glossary — over 200 markers with Australian-specific reference ranges, what high and low results mean, common patterns, and how often to retest.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always discuss your blood test results with a qualified healthcare professional. BloodTrack is not affiliated with Melbourne Pathology or Sonic Healthcare.