Sign in →

Test Code LAB53 Calcium, 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); LAB15, Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP); and LAB19, Renal Function Panel. See Common Panel Test Combinations to avoid duplicate requests if needed.

 

Patient Preparation: Fasting preferred but not required

Collection Container/Tube:

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

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

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: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.6 mL)

Special Instructions: None

 

Sample Rejection

Specimens collected in a Lavender-top (EDTA) tube.

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: 

<1 years: 8.6-11.0 mg/dL
1-2 years: 8.6-10.7 mg/dL
≥ 2 years: 8.5-10.3 mg/dL                                                            

Critical Value: 

<2 years: <5.0 OR  >13.0 mg/dL
≥ 2 years: <6.5 OR  >13.0 mg/dL                                                                    

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

 

Methodology

Colorimetric (NM-BAPTA)

Limitations

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

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: 0.3 mL plasma/serum

Aanlyte Stability:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole Blood (unprocessed)  Ambient 24 hours
Plasma/Serum (processed) Refrigerated (preferred) 3 weeks
  Ambient  7 days
  Frozen  1 year 

Test Classification and CPT Code

82310

LOINC

17861-6

Last Reviewed

06/2025