Medical Terminologies MCP

LOINC Panel Structure

loinc_panels

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve the structure of a LOINC panel or form, listing all included tests and their LOINC codes for grouped observations.

Instructions

Get the structure of a LOINC panel or form.

Use this tool to:

See all tests included in a panel (e.g., CBC, metabolic panel)
Get the structure of assessment forms
Find related observations grouped together

Returns the list of LOINC codes that make up the panel.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`loinc_num`	Yes	LOINC number (e.g., "2339-0")

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`panel`	Yes
`loinc_num`	Yes
`provenance`	Yes	Provenance block (contract v1.1): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, origin diagnostics, citation, license
`attribution`	Yes	Canonical source URLs of this response (attribution list)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv2.0.0Oct 4, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / panel / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "additionalProperties": false,
-    "properties": {
-      "items": {
-        "items": {
-          "additionalProperties": false,
-          "properties": {
-            "loinc_num": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "name": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "required": {
-              "type": "boolean"
-            },
-            "sequence": {
-              "maximum": 9007199254740991,
-              "minimum": -9007199254740991,
-              "type": "integer"
-            }
-          },
-          "required": [
-            "sequence",
-            "loinc_num",
-            "name",
-            "required"
-          ],
-          "type": "object"
-        },
-        "type": "array"
-      },
-      "loinc_num": {
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "name": {
-        "type": "string"
-      }
-    },
-    "required": [
-      "loinc_num",
-      "name",
-      "items"
-    ],
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "items": {
+        "items": {
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "loinc_num": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "name": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "required": {
+              "description": "Whether the item is required; null when the source form definition does not state it (the case for every panel the API serves today).",
+              "type": [
+                "boolean",
+                "null"
+              ]
+            },
+            "sequence": {
+              "description": "Position in the form (1-based), i.e. display order.",
+              "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+              "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+              "type": "integer"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "sequence",
+            "loinc_num",
+            "name",
+            "required"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      },
+      "loinc_num": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "name": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "loinc_num",
+      "name",
+      "items"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.15.0Sep 27, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / provenance / description

Previous value: -"Provenance block (contract v1.0): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, citation, license"New value: +"Provenance block (contract v1.1): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, origin diagnostics, citation, license"

addedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / retrieval

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "anomalies": {
+          "description": "Anomalias superadas até o sucesso, somadas por classe, em ordem fixa; [] se nenhuma",
+          "items": {
+            "additionalProperties": false,
+            "properties": {
+              "count": {
+                "description": "Ocorrências desta classe na chamada",
+                "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+                "minimum": 1,
+                "type": "integer"
+              },
+              "kind": {
+                "description": "Classe da anomalia (vocabulário fechado do contrato)",
+                "enum": [
+                  "timeout",
+                  "network",
+                  "http_4xx",
+                  "http_5xx",
+                  "rate_limited",
+                  "malformed_body"
+                ],
+                "type": "string"
+              }
+            },
+            "required": [
+              "kind",
+              "count"
+            ],
+            "type": "object"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "attempts": {
+          "description": "Tentativas somadas, incluindo as repetidas (>= requests)",
+          "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+          "minimum": 1,
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        "requests": {
+          "description": "Idas distintas à origem que compõem esta resposta (fatias, páginas)",
+          "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+          "minimum": 1,
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        "unstable": {
+          "description": "true se houve repetição (attempts > requests) ou alguma anomalia",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "requests",
+        "attempts",
+        "anomalies",
+        "unstable"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "description": "Origin diagnostics of THIS source in this call (contract v1.1): requests made to the upstream, attempts summed across retries, anomalies worked around (kind + count); unstable=true when any anomaly happened. null when nothing was measured (bundled dataset, or response served entirely from cache)"
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / provenance / required

Previous value: -[
-  "source",
-  "source_url",
-  "data_vintage",
-  "retrieved_at",
-  "citation",
-  "license"
-]New value: +[
+  "source",
+  "source_url",
+  "data_vintage",
+  "retrieved_at",
+  "retrieval",
+  "citation",
+  "license"
+]

Changed1 schema field changedv1.11.0Sep 15, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
Changed4 schema fields changedv1.9.1Sep 1, 2026
- removedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / data_vintage / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / data_vintage / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / license / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / license / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.8.0Aug 10, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / attribution

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Canonical source URLs of this response (attribution list)",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / provenance

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "description": "Provenance block (contract v1.0): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, citation, license",
+  "properties": {
+    "citation": {
+      "description": "Ready-to-use citation/attribution string",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "data_vintage": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "description": "Version/release of the data as exposed by the source; null when not exposed"
+    },
+    "license": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "description": "License / legal regime of the data"
+    },
+    "retrieved_at": {
+      "description": "Real instant of the upstream extraction (ISO-8601, UTC). Responses served from cache keep the ORIGINAL fetch instant.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "source": {
+      "description": "Official upstream source of this data",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "source_url": {
+      "description": "Canonical URL of the source (API base or dataset release)",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "source",
+    "source_url",
+    "data_vintage",
+    "retrieved_at",
+    "citation",
+    "license"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "loinc_num",
-  "panel"
-]New value: +[
+  "loinc_num",
+  "panel",
+  "provenance",
+  "attribution"
+]

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.5.7Jun 21, 2026

removedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -false
```

changedOutput schema / properties / panel / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "additionalProperties": false,
-    "properties": {
-      "items": {
-        "items": {
-          "additionalProperties": false,
-          "properties": {
-            "loinc_num": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "name": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "required": {
-              "type": "boolean"
-            },
-            "sequence": {
-              "type": "integer"
-            }
-          },
-          "required": [
-            "sequence",
-            "loinc_num",
-            "name",
-            "required"
-          ],
-          "type": "object"
-        },
-        "type": "array"
-      },
-      "loinc_num": {
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "name": {
-        "type": "string"
-      }
-    },
-    "required": [
-      "loinc_num",
-      "name",
-      "items"
-    ],
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "items": {
+        "items": {
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "loinc_num": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "name": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "required": {
+              "type": "boolean"
+            },
+            "sequence": {
+              "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+              "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+              "type": "integer"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "sequence",
+            "loinc_num",
+            "name",
+            "required"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      },
+      "loinc_num": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "name": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "loinc_num",
+      "name",
+      "items"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

First observedv1.2.1May 11, 2026

TDQS

A3.6/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, openWorld), so the bar is lower. The description adds the return type (list of LOINC codes) but doesn't disclose behavior for unknown/invalid loinc_num or error handling. Adequate, not rich.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core purpose, then a compact bulleted list of use cases, then the return value. Efficient and well-structured; the bullet list is slightly redundant with the opening line but earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a single-parameter read tool with an output schema, annotations, and full schema coverage, the description provides enough to call it correctly. Missing only edge-case behavior and explicit sibling routing, which are minor given the rich structured context.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and the single parameter includes a pattern and example, so the schema fully documents it. The description doesn't add format or constraint details beyond what the schema provides. Baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Clear verb+resource: retrieves the structure of a LOINC panel/form and returns its constituent codes. It is distinguishable from siblings like loinc_details and loinc_search, though it doesn't explicitly name a competing sibling. Solid but lacks explicit sibling differentiation.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The 'Use this tool to' list gives concrete contexts: viewing tests in a panel (CBC, metabolic panel), getting form structure, and finding grouped observations. Clear usage context, but no explicit exclusions or named alternatives.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.