A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

Folate, Serum

Test Code
FOL


Alias/See Also
Folic Acid


Preferred Specimen
 1 mL serum


Minimum Volume
0.5 mL


Other Acceptable Specimens
Amber vial


Instructions
None


Transport Container
Serum separator tube (SST)


Transport Temperature
Room temperature


Specimen Stability
 Ambient: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 2 days
Frozen: 30 days


Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Hemolysis


Methodology
Immunoassay (IA)

Setup Schedule
24/7


Report Available
Same day


Reference Range
0.5-20.0 ng/mL


Clinical Significance
Folic acid deficiency is common in pregnant women, alcoholics, in patients whose diets do not include raw fruits and vegetables, and in people with structural damage to the small intestine. The most reliable and direct method of diagnosing folate deficiency is the determination of folate levels in both erythrocytes and serum. Low folic acid levels, however, can also be the result of a primary vitamin B12 deficiency that decreases the ability of cells to take up folic acid.




The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.