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HelpTest Code LAB829 Iron and TIBC
Useful For
Screening for anemia and chronic iron overload diseases, particularly hereditary hemochromatosis
Profile Information
| Test Code | Test Name | Methodology |
Available Separately |
Always Performed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAB94 | Iron, Total | Colorimetric FerroZine | Yes | Yes |
| N/A | Unsaturated Iron-Binding Capacity (UIBC) | Colorimetric FerroZine | No | Yes |
| N/A | Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC) | Calculated | Yes | Yes |
| N/A | % Iron Saturation | Calculated | No | Yes |
Performing Laboratory
Bozeman Health Laboratory Services
Specimen Requirements
Specimen Type: Plasma or serum
Container/Tube: Light-green top (lithium heparin gel), red top, or gold top
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL
Collection Instructions:
- Specimens should be collected in the morning to avoid low results due to
diurnal variation.
- Allow serum samples to clot.
- Separate serum or plasma from clot within 1 hour.
Specimen Rejection: Hemolyzed samples may be rejected.
Specimen Transport Temperature
Ambient/Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma or Serum | Ambient | 4 days |
| Refrigerated | 7 days |
Reference Values
IRON
Male: 44-179 ug/dL
Female: 31-172 µg/dL
UIBC
112-347 ug/dL
TIBC
Adult male: 260-400 ug/dL
Adult female: 260-445 ug/dL
% Iron Saturation (calculated)
20%-50% saturation
Additional Information
In the presence of high ferritin concentrations > 1200 µg/L the assumption that serum iron is almost completely bound to transferrin is not valid anymore. Therefore, such iron results should not be used to calculate Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) or percent transferrin saturation (% SAT).
Day(s) Test Set Up
Monday through Sunday
Test Classification and CPT Coding
83540-IRON
83550-TIBC