What is TEG?

Thromboelastography (TEG) measures the dynamics of clot development, stabilization/strength, and dissolution. Assuming the body’s ability to achieve hemostasis is a function of these clot properties, TEG provides specific, real-time indicators of a patient’s in vitro hemostatic state. This is in contrast to routine screening coagulation tests such as aPTT and PT/INR which are run with blood plasma alone and therefore do not take into account the cellular components of clotting.

How to read a TEG

TEG creates a graphical representation of the movement of a small pin suspended in a cup of whole blood as hemostatsis occurs. As the blood begins to clot and adhere to the pin, the movement of the pin increases. This increasing movement is interpreted by the computer as increasing amplitude on the TEG graph.