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Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), Screen
Test CodeAlias/See Also
Preferred Specimen
Specimen Type: Serum
Collection Container: Serum gel
Specimen Volume: 3 mL
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Instructions
Transport Container
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated (on gel): 24 hours
Refrigerated (off gel): 24 hours
Frozen: >24 hours
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Samples stored on gel >24 hours, unlabeled, mislabeled, wrong tube type, hemolyzed, QNS, exceeds specimen stability requirements.
Methodology
Chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA)
Setup Schedule
Daily
Report Available
Same day
Limitations
Serum PSA concentrations should not be interpreted as absolute evidence for the presence or absence of prostate cancer.
The PSA value should be used in conjunction with information available from clinical evaluation and other diagnostic procedures such as DRE. Prostatic biopsy is required for the diagnosis of cancer.
Heterophilic antibodies in human serum can react with reagent immunoglobulins, interfering with in vitro immunoassay. Patients routinely exposed to animals or to animal serum products can be prone to this interference and anomalous values may be observed.
Prostatic massage, ultrasonography, and needle biopsy may cause clinically significant elevation in PSA levels.
Reference Range
Performing Laboratory
Inova Laboratories
2832 Juniper Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Last Updated: April 14, 2023
Last Review: N. Wolford, April 14, 2023