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Order Code LABPCALC Procalcitonin, Plasma or Serum

Additional Codes

Test Name in EPIC

EPIC Test Code           

Mnemonic

RV Procalcitonin 

LABPCALC

PCALC

PRIOR TO 8/1/21:  PCT

Useful For

Diagnosis of bacteremia and septicemia in adults and children

Specimen Requirements

Special Note: For any given patient, procalcitonin assay must be performed on same specimen type for duration of hospital stay.  Please indicate specimen type on aliquot tube, if necessary.

 

Specimen Type: Plasma (Preferred) or Serum

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred:  Green-top (lithium heparin) gel tube 

Acceptable:  Plain, red-top tube or SST

Specimen Volume: 2 mL

Pediatric (minimum) volume: 0.5 mL

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Stability         
Plasma or Serum Ambient N/A
  Refrigerated 48 hours
  Frozen 6 months

Reference Range

Reported Reference Range: 0.0 - 0.5 ng/mL

  • < 0.5 ng/mL represents a low risk of servere sepsis and/or septic shock
  • > 2.0 ng/mL represents a high risk of severe sepsis and/or septic shock

Day(s) Test Set Up

Monday through Sunday

Performing Laboratory

Ridgeview Medical Center Laboratory

Methodology

Enzyme-Linked Fluorescent Assay