What is the definition or description of: ana?

ANA: Anti nuclear antibodies are autoantibodies directed against the contents of the cell nucleus, such as in autoimmune diseases.

Antinuclear Antibody: An "ana" is a blood test used to screen a person for the possibility of several autoimmune diseases. It is important to remember that this is a screening test and a positive result only indicates more testing may be warranted. No blood test is perfect, and getting to a diagnosis is usually much more complex than drawing blood and looking at a number on the results report.