Sign in →

Test Code LAB Iron Profile, Blood

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital Laboratory - Chemistry

Specimen Requirements

Note: Includes Iron, Iron Binding Total, and Transferrin Saturation

Patient Preparation: None

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Mint green-top Lithium Heparin (MNTGRN LiHep) tube

Acceptable: Plain red-top tube, Gold SST gel tube, or green microtainer

Submission Container/Tube: If specimen is coming from outside facility and collected in a microtainer, or plain red-top tube aliquot processed sample into a plastic vial for transport (labeling with specimen type).

Specimen Collection Volume: 2.0 mL (minimum 1.0 mL)

Special Instructions: Send to lab promptly

 

Sample Rejection

Mislabled or unlabeled specimens

Specimens that are grossly hemolyzed

Logistics

Test Availability: Monday-Sunday

Cut-off time: None, performed as received

Turnaround Time: Same Day; 2 hours from receipt in performing lab

Reference Values

Reference Interval: 

Iron Total                                                 
<1 month: 100-250 mcg/dL
1 month-12 years: 50-120 mcg/dL
≥ 12 years:  
     Female: 35-145 mcg/dL
     Males: 50-150 mcg/dL                                                                      

 

Iron BInding Total
< 30 days: 90-350 mcg/dL
≥ 30 days: 250-400 mcg/dL                                                                    

 

Transferrin Saturation
<18 years: 10-45%
≥ 18 years: 20-50%                                                                                    

Critical Value: Iron Total (all ages/genders): >400 mcg/dL

Critical test results will be called back automatically initially and every 168 hours thereafter.

No critical values have been established for Iron Binding Total or Transferrin Saturation

 

Methodology

Colorimetric

Limitations

  • In patients treated with iron supplements or metal-binding drugs, the drug-bound iron may not properly react in the test, resulting in artificially low values.
  • In very rare cases gammopathy, in particular type IgM (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia) may cause unreliable results.

For diagnostic purposes, the results should always be assessed in conjunction with the patient's medical history, clinical examination, and other findings.

Additional Information

FOR SLCH CORE LABORATORY USE ONLY

Lab Processing Instructions: Centrifuge to separate. If specimen is collected in microtainer or plain red-top tube aliquot sample into a Roche false-bottom tube for testing (labeling aliquot with specimen type).

Processed Volume: 0.5 mL plasma/serum

Analyte Stability:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole Blood (unprocessed)  Ambient 8 hours
Plasma/Serum (processed) Refrigerated (preferred)    7 days
  Ambient  2 days
  Frozen  3 months     

Test Classification and CPT Code

83540

83550

LOINC

Iron Totl: 2498-4

Iron BInding Totl: 2500-7

Transferrin: 2502-3

Last Reviewed

06/2025