Can Naturopathic Physicians Order Blood Tests and Imaging?
Written by YiQiu Hu, NMD
Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and virtual concierge medicine provider
Published August 2026 | Medically reviewed August 2026
Yes. Licensed naturopathic physicians in Arizona can order laboratory testing and diagnostic studies, including many types of medical imaging, when they are clinically appropriate for evaluating a patient.
This may include routine blood work, hormone testing, nutritional testing, urinalysis, specialty laboratory testing, X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI studies, bone-density testing, and other diagnostic evaluations depending on the patient's symptoms and medical needs.
This is an important distinction because the scope of naturopathic medicine varies considerably from one state to another. Arizona licenses naturopathic physicians as healthcare professionals with authority to diagnose and treat medical conditions within the state's defined scope of practice.
However, being able to order a test does not necessarily mean every test is appropriate for every patient—or that every insurance company will automatically pay for it.
This guide explains how laboratory testing and medical imaging fit into naturopathic medical care, what types of testing may be ordered, and what Arizona patients should know about insurance, referrals, and follow-up.
If you are new to naturopathic care, you may also want to begin with our guide to what naturopathic medicine is.
Can Naturopathic Physicians Order Blood Tests?
Yes.
Licensed naturopathic physicians in Arizona routinely use laboratory testing as part of medical evaluation, diagnosis, preventive care, treatment monitoring, and ongoing health management.
Laboratory testing provides objective information that cannot always be determined from symptoms or a physical examination alone.
Depending on the reason for your visit, your naturopathic physician may order tests to:
Investigate new or unexplained symptoms
Screen for common medical conditions
Evaluate cardiovascular or metabolic risk
Assess thyroid function
Evaluate nutritional deficiencies
Investigate hormone-related concerns
Monitor chronic medical conditions
Monitor prescription medications
Evaluate organ function
Follow changes in your health over time
Determine whether additional testing or specialist evaluation is appropriate
Arizona law's naturopathic practice framework encompasses medical diagnosis and treatment, and Arizona law specifically contemplates laboratory testing as part of naturopathic medical care in certain circumstances.
The important question is therefore usually not simply whether a naturopathic physician can order blood work, but which tests are medically appropriate for the individual patient.
What Blood Tests Can a Naturopathic Physician Order?
The exact testing depends on your medical history, symptoms, medications, age, risk factors, and reason for evaluation.
Common laboratory testing may include:
Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count, or CBC, evaluates red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets.
It may provide information relevant to anemia, infection, inflammation, blood-cell abnormalities, and other medical concerns.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
A comprehensive metabolic panel, or CMP, provides information about several areas of health, including:
Kidney function
Liver function
Electrolytes
Blood glucose
Calcium
Blood proteins
Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Testing
Testing may include:
Total cholesterol
LDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
Triglycerides
Apolipoprotein B
Lipoprotein(a)
Other cardiovascular biomarkers when appropriate
Diabetes and Metabolic Testing
Depending on the patient, testing may include:
Fasting glucose
Hemoglobin A1c
Fasting insulin
Other metabolic markers
Thyroid Testing
A physician may order:
TSH
Free T4
Free T3
Thyroid antibodies when clinically indicated
Nutritional Testing
Testing may evaluate selected nutrients such as:
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Folate
Iron
Ferritin
Other vitamins, minerals, or nutritional biomarkers
Hormone Testing
Depending on symptoms and clinical circumstances, hormone evaluation may include:
Testosterone
Estradiol
Progesterone
FSH
LH
DHEA-S
Cortisol
Other endocrine testing
These are only examples. There are thousands of laboratory tests available, and ordering more tests does not necessarily result in better medical care.
For a more detailed explanation of how physicians choose and interpret blood work, read our complete guide to understanding laboratory testing.
You can also explore our routine laboratory testing resources.
Can Naturopathic Physicians Order Specialty Laboratory Testing?
Yes, depending on the physician, laboratory, clinical indication, and type of testing.
Some naturopathic physicians also use specialized laboratory testing when conventional testing does not fully answer a clinical question or when a more detailed evaluation may be helpful.
Specialty testing may examine areas such as:
Advanced cardiovascular biomarkers
Nutritional status
Hormone metabolism
Gastrointestinal function
Selected immune markers
Environmental exposures
Genetics
Other specialized biomarkers
However, specialty testing should not automatically be ordered simply because it is available.
The test should ideally answer a meaningful clinical question and have the potential to influence what happens next.
At Ask Dr. Hu, specialty testing is selected based on the patient's symptoms, medical history, previous laboratory findings, medications, risk factors, exposures, and health goals rather than using the same large panel for every patient.
You can learn more about our approach to specialty laboratory testing.
Can Naturopathic Physicians Order Medical Imaging?
Licensed naturopathic physicians in Arizona can incorporate diagnostic imaging into a patient's medical evaluation when imaging is appropriate within their professional scope and clinical circumstances.
Arizona's healthcare regulatory framework recognizes licensed doctors of naturopathic medicine as physicians, alongside allopathic and osteopathic physicians in applicable healthcare regulations.
Depending on the medical concern, diagnostic imaging may include:
X-rays
Ultrasound
CT scans
MRI scans
Bone-density scans
Mammography
Other specialized imaging studies
Which study is appropriate depends on the condition being evaluated.
For example, imaging is generally not ordered simply because a patient wants "a scan." The physician first considers the symptoms, physical examination, medical history, previous testing, and what information the imaging study is expected to provide.
When Might an X-Ray Be Ordered?
X-rays are commonly used to evaluate structures that can be visualized effectively using radiography, particularly bones and certain areas of the chest.
A physician might consider an X-ray when evaluating concerns such as:
Suspected fracture
Persistent joint pain
Certain spinal complaints
Chest symptoms
Possible arthritis or structural abnormalities
Selected injuries
Additional or different imaging may be necessary depending on the suspected condition.
When Might an Ultrasound Be Ordered?
Medical ultrasound uses sound waves rather than ionizing radiation.
Depending on the situation, ultrasound may help evaluate:
Gallbladder concerns
Liver abnormalities
Kidney or urinary conditions
Thyroid nodules
Pelvic conditions
Certain vascular concerns
Soft-tissue abnormalities
Musculoskeletal structures
The appropriate study depends on the clinical question being investigated.
Can a Naturopathic Physician Order an MRI?
In Arizona, an appropriately licensed naturopathic physician may order diagnostic imaging such as an MRI when it is medically appropriate and within the physician's scope of practice.
MRI can provide highly detailed images of many soft tissues and may be useful for evaluating certain:
Musculoskeletal injuries
Neurological conditions
Spinal conditions
Joint problems
Soft-tissue abnormalities
Abdominal or pelvic concerns
An MRI is not automatically the best test for every condition. Sometimes an X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, laboratory evaluation, or physical examination provides the necessary information more efficiently.
Can a Naturopathic Physician Order a CT Scan?
CT scanning may also be appropriate in selected circumstances.
CT imaging uses X-rays and computerized processing to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.
Depending on the clinical situation, CT may be used to evaluate certain:
Abdominal conditions
Lung abnormalities
Kidney stones
Injuries
Infections
Vascular concerns
Other structural abnormalities
Because CT exposes the patient to ionizing radiation, physicians consider whether the potential diagnostic benefit justifies the exposure and whether another imaging study might answer the same clinical question.
Who Interprets the Imaging Study?
Ordering imaging and interpreting the images themselves are generally different responsibilities.
When your naturopathic physician orders an MRI, CT scan, X-ray, or ultrasound through an imaging center, the images are typically formally interpreted by a radiologist or another appropriately qualified imaging specialist.
A radiology report is then sent to the ordering physician.
Your naturopathic physician can review that report together with your symptoms, medical history, physical findings, laboratory results, and other clinical information to determine what should happen next.
This may lead to:
No additional treatment
Follow-up monitoring
Additional laboratory testing
Repeat or different imaging
Medication
Rehabilitation or physical therapy
A procedure
Referral to an appropriate specialist
The goal is not simply to obtain an image. It is to determine how the imaging findings fit into the overall medical picture.
Can Imaging Be Ordered After a Telemedicine Appointment?
Sometimes.
Many medical concerns can initially be evaluated through telemedicine, particularly when a physician can obtain an adequate medical history and determine which diagnostic testing may be appropriate.
For example, a virtual consultation may result in an order for:
Blood work
Urinalysis
Ultrasound
X-ray
CT
MRI
Another diagnostic study
However, some symptoms require an in-person physical examination before the physician can determine which test is appropriate.
Your physician may therefore recommend an in-person evaluation first if physical findings are important to the diagnostic decision.
Our guide to preparing for your first naturopathic medicine appointment explains how laboratory testing and imaging may fit into the initial evaluation.
Will My Insurance Cover Blood Tests Ordered by a Naturopathic Physician?
Possibly, but ordering authority and insurance coverage are two different issues.
Whether your laboratory testing is covered can depend on:
Your insurance company
Your specific insurance plan
Whether the laboratory is in network
The test being ordered
The diagnosis or medical indication
Your deductible
Copays or coinsurance
Whether prior authorization is required
Even when the physician can legally order a test, your insurance company may have separate rules regarding reimbursement.
Patients using insurance should therefore confirm coverage with their insurance company or laboratory when cost is a concern.
Will Insurance Cover Imaging Ordered by a Naturopathic Physician?
The same general principle applies to imaging.
An imaging study may be medically appropriate and properly ordered while still being subject to insurance requirements.
For example, an insurer may require:
Prior authorization
Use of an in-network imaging facility
Specific documentation of medical necessity
Completion of another test first
A referral or order that meets the insurer's particular network rules
Some HMO plans may also have more restrictive referral requirements.
Because insurance policies vary substantially, patients should verify benefits before scheduling nonurgent advanced imaging if insurance coverage is important.
At Ask Dr. Hu, medical visits are not billed to insurance, but outside laboratory testing and imaging may be billed separately or submitted to insurance when applicable. Our broader medical services overview explains how individual medical services and outside testing are handled.
Why Diagnostic Testing Should Be Personalized
One of the most important principles of good diagnostic medicine is that more testing is not automatically better testing.
A physician should ideally begin with a clinical question.
For example:
Why is this patient tired?
Why is this patient's liver enzyme elevated?
Is this persistent shoulder pain coming from a tendon, joint, nerve, or another structure?
Why is this patient's blood sugar increasing?
Does this new neurological symptom require imaging?
The physician then chooses testing that is reasonably likely to help answer that question.
Ordering every possible laboratory test or imaging study can create its own problems, including:
Unnecessary expense
Incidental abnormalities
Additional testing that may not ultimately be useful
Unnecessary radiation exposure from certain imaging tests
Increased patient anxiety
Difficulty distinguishing meaningful findings from unrelated abnormalities
Thoughtful testing aims to obtain enough information to make good medical decisions without testing simply for the sake of testing.
This is also an important part of our approach to preventive care and health optimization.
Laboratory Testing and Imaging Work Together
Sometimes the answer comes from blood work.
Sometimes it comes from imaging.
Often, several pieces of information must be combined.
Consider a patient with persistent abdominal discomfort. Depending on the history and examination, evaluation might involve:
Blood counts
Liver and kidney testing
Pancreatic enzymes
Urinalysis
Stool testing
Abdominal ultrasound
CT imaging
Gastroenterology evaluation
Not every patient needs all of these tests.
The physician's job is to determine which steps make sense and in what order.
Similarly, a patient experiencing fatigue might benefit much more from appropriate blood testing and a sleep evaluation than from an MRI.
Another patient with new neurological findings could require prompt imaging rather than an extensive nutritional laboratory panel.
The appropriate diagnostic pathway depends on the individual patient.
What Happens After Your Results Come Back?
Obtaining the test is only the beginning.
Once results are available, your physician should determine:
Whether the findings are normal or abnormal
Whether an abnormality is clinically meaningful
Whether it explains your symptoms
Whether additional testing is necessary
Whether treatment should begin or change
Whether another healthcare professional should become involved
Whether the finding simply needs to be monitored
This is particularly important because an abnormal laboratory value or imaging finding does not automatically equal a diagnosis.
Results need to be interpreted within the context of the complete patient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a naturopathic doctor order blood work in Arizona?
Yes. Licensed naturopathic physicians in Arizona can use laboratory testing as part of evaluating, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients within their professional scope of practice.
Can a naturopathic physician order an MRI?
An Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician may order diagnostic imaging such as an MRI when it is medically appropriate and within the physician's scope. Insurance authorization and imaging-center requirements may still apply.
Can a naturopathic physician order an X-ray or ultrasound?
Yes, these types of diagnostic studies may be incorporated into a medical evaluation when clinically appropriate. The specific study depends on the condition being investigated.
Does a naturopathic physician read the MRI or X-ray?
The images are generally formally interpreted by a radiologist or other appropriately qualified imaging professional. The ordering physician then reviews the radiology report and considers the findings within the patient's complete clinical picture.
Will insurance pay for laboratory testing or imaging?
It depends on the patient's insurance plan, network, medical indication, deductible, and authorization requirements. Patients should check their individual insurance benefits when coverage is important.
The Bottom Line
Licensed naturopathic physicians in Arizona can order blood tests and use diagnostic imaging as part of appropriate medical evaluation and treatment.
Depending on your medical needs, this may include routine blood work, specialty laboratory testing, X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI studies, and other diagnostic evaluations.
The more important question is not whether your physician can order a test, but whether the test is likely to provide useful information that changes your care.
Good diagnostic medicine combines your symptoms, medical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, imaging, previous records, medications, risk factors, and individual health goals rather than relying on one test alone.
If you would like a broader introduction to this type of care, explore our Naturopathic Medicine Resource Center or our complete medical services.
Patients throughout Arizona can also contact Ask Dr. Hu to discuss an individual medical concern, laboratory evaluation, diagnostic testing, or ongoing care.
Medical Review & Editorial Standards
This article was written for patient education by an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and reflects the scope of naturopathic medical practice in Arizona at the time of publication.
Arizona's regulatory framework should not be assumed to apply to naturopathic practitioners in other states. Licensure and scope of practice vary substantially by jurisdiction.
For authoritative information regarding Arizona naturopathic physician licensure and scope, patients and healthcare professionals can consult the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board, the Board's Arizona naturopathic statutes, and A.R.S. § 32-1501, which defines naturopathic medicine and the practice of naturopathic medicine.
Medical laws, regulations, insurance policies, and clinical standards may change over time. This article is reviewed periodically for accuracy and is intended for general educational purposes rather than individualized medical or legal advice.
About the Author
YiQiu Hu, NMD
Dr. YiQiu Hu is an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and founder of Ask Dr. Hu. He provides concierge medicine, preventive care, health optimization, diagnostic evaluation, laboratory testing, and individualized medical treatment for patients throughout Arizona.
His clinical interests include preventive healthcare, medical weight management, hormone care, integrative pain management, laboratory evaluation, and the ongoing management of complex health concerns. His approach combines thorough medical assessment with evidence-informed naturopathic care, modern diagnostic testing, clear patient education, and practical treatment planning.
Learn more about Dr. Hu and the physicians at Ask Dr. Hu.