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Test Code LAB50 Bilirubin, Total, Blood

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital Laboratory - Chemistry

Specimen Requirements

Note: This test is also available as part of LAB17 Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) and LAB20 Hepatic Function Panel. See Common Panel Test Combinations to avoid duplicate requests if needed.

 

Patient Preparation: None

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Mint green-top lithium heparin (MNTGRN LiHep) tube

Acceptable: Green samplette/microtainer, plain red-top tube, Gold SST gel tube, or Lavender-top (EDTA) tube

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

Specimen Collection Volume: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.6 mL)

Special Instructions: Protect specimen from light and send to lab promptly.

 

Sample Rejection

Specimens that are received >4 hours old that have not been protected from light.

Cord Blood specimens

Mislabled or unlabeled specimens

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: 

0-24 Hours: ≤ 5.0 mg/dL
24-48 Hours: ≤ 8.0 mg/dL
48-120 Hours: ≤ 12.0 mg/dL
5 days-2 weeks: ≤ 8.0 mg/dL
2 weeks-1 month: ≤ 5.0 mg/dL
≥ 1 month: 0.1-1.2 mg/dL

Critical Value: ≥ 15.0 mg/dL (all ages)

Critical test results will be called initially and every 24 hours thereafter.

 

Methodology

Colorimeteric (Diazo method)

Limitations

  • In very rare cases gammopathy, in particular type IgM (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia) may cause unreliable results.
  • Cyanokit (Hydroxocobalamin) may cause false low results

Additional Information

FOR SLCH CORE LABORATORY USE ONLY 

Lab Processing Instructions: Centrifuge to separate within 1 hour of collection. If specimen is collected in microtainer, plain red-top tube, or lavender-top tube aliquot sample into a Roche false-bottom tube for testing (labeling aliquot with specimen type).

Processed Volume: 0.3 mL plasma/serum

Specimen Stability Information:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole Blood (unprocessed)  Ambient 4 hours (exposed to light)   
Plasma/Serum (processed) Refrigerated (preferred) 4 hours (exposed to light)
        24 hours protected from light
  Ambient  4 hours (exposed to light)
      24 hours protected from light
  Frozen  6 months protected from light   

Test Classification and CPT Code

82247

LOINC

1975-2

Last Reviewed

06/2025