Serotonin, Blood (818X)

Test Code

29397P

CPT Codes
84260

Preferred Specimen

4 mL whole blood submitted in a Serotonin Kit (provided by Quest Diagnostics) (see instructions)

Patient Preparation
Patient should avoid food high in indoles: avocado, banana, tomato, plum, walnut, pineapple, and eggplant. Patient should also avoid tobacco, tea and coffee three days prior to specimen collection.

Minimum Volume

1 mL

Instructions

Proper specimen collection, storage and shipment are critical for serotonin whole blood analysis. Strict adherence to the following specimen collection instructions will ensure the most meaningful results.

1. Draw blood into the EDTA 7.2-mg Vacutainer® tube.
2. After drawing the blood, mix well and immediately transfer all blood to the enclosed container, which contains 35 mg of ascorbic acid.
3. Mix well and freeze immediately.
4. Ship frozen. Expiration date for ascorbic acid container is the same as the EDTA tube provided in the kit.

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: Unacceptable
Frozen: 30 days

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

Received room temperature • Received refrigerated • EDTA (lavender-top) collection without ascorbic acid

Methodology
Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)

FDA Status
This test was developed and its analytical performance characteristics have been determined by Quest Diagnostics. It has not been cleared or approved by FDA. This assay has been validated pursuant to the CLIA regulations and is used for clinical purposes.

Setup Schedule

Set up: Mon-Sat; Report available: 3-5 days

Clinical Significance

Serotonin is produced in excess by carcinoid tumors of the enterochromaffin cell usually in the small intestine, appendix or rectum.

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.