Bilirubin, Total

TBILI

Total Bilirubin; This test is for total bilirubin measurement in patients 30 days or older. For measurement of total bilirubin in neonatal patients younger than 30 days old, order NBILI.

Serum (gold top) tube

0.5 mL

Lithium Heparin Plasma (green top) tube

Protect specimen from light using a brown paper sack, aluminum foil, or a dark plastic tube to decrease the risk of the breakdown of bilirubin, which will cause a falsely decreased result.

This test is for Total Bilirubin measurement on Plasma or Serum in patients 30 days old or older.  For Total Bilirubin measurement on Plasma or Serum in patients younger than 30 days old, order NBILI (Neonatal Bilirubin).  For Total Bilirubin measurement on Body Fluids, order MISTBIL.

Serum (gold top) tube or Lithium Heparin Plasma (green top) tube

Room Temperature or Refrigeration

Room Temperature - 4 hours; Refrigerated - 7 days

Quantity Not Sufficient, EDTA (puruple top tube) contamination, IV contamination

Daily upon receipt

Upon completion of analysis

Protect specimen from light to reduce the breakdown of bilirubin, which causes falsely decreased results. Cefotiam (Pansporin) has been reported to show very large positive biases on this method of total bilirubin measurement. This drug is normally cleared through the kidney. Biases will be largest in specimens from patients with renal insufficiency and may be as large as 5 mg/dL (86 μmol/L). Because the method for direct bilirubin is not affected by Cefotiam, patients known to be receiving Cefotiam therapy should be monitored only with the direct bilirubin test (order as DBILI).

0.2 - 1.3 mg/dL

Total bilirubin in serum and plasma is the sum of unconjugated bilirubin, mono- and di-glucuronide conjugated bilirubin, and delta bilirubin, a bilirubin fraction covalently bound to albumin. With the exception of anicteric jaundice, total serum bilirubin is invariably increased in jaundice. Causes of jaundice are prehepatic, resulting from various hemolytic diseases; hepatic, resulting from hepatocellular injury or obstruction; and posthepatic, resulting from obstruction of the hepatic or common bile ducts.

This test is for Total Bilirubin measurement on Plasma or Serum in patients 30 days old or older.  For Total Bilirubin measurement on Plasma or Serum in patients under 30 days old, order NBILI (Neonatal Bilirubin).  For Total Bilirubin measurement on Body Fluids, order MISTBIL.