Final answer:
A healthcare professional should evaluate serum creatinine levels to estimate muscle mass, considering its role as a byproduct of muscle metabolism. This method provides an indirect assessment and should be interpreted in the context of the patient's kidney health and other factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
A healthcare professional looking to estimate the total mass of muscle in a patient's body should consider evaluating serum creatinine levels. Creatinine is a waste product of muscle metabolism, and its concentration in the blood provides indirect information about muscle mass. Higher levels of serum creatinine can suggest a larger muscle mass, although this must be interpreted carefully, considering factors such as the patient's age, gender, and overall kidney health. Other tests that may contribute to the evaluation include blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which would help in understanding the patient's renal function as it can influence serum creatinine levels. While serum laboratory tests can give an estimation, for a more precise assessment of muscle mass, healthcare professionals may resort to imaging techniques or body composition analysis.