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D-Dimer, Quantitative
Test CodeDDIMQ/DDIM1
Alias/See Also
Dimer, Quantitative Dimer
CPT Codes
85379
Preferred Specimen
Citrate BLUE (BLU)
Instructions
Collect whole blood in 3.2% buffered sodium citrate (9:1 blood to sodium citrate). Venipuncture must be atraumatic. Checking for clots may be done with applicator stick or by visual inspection of centrifuged plasma for small clots
Specimen Stability
- Centrifuge at 4,500 RPM for 10 minutes. Plasma platelet count should be less than 10,000. Test within eight hours of collection.
- If testing is to be delayed more than eight hours after collection, immediately separate plasma into a clean, polystyrene tube, cap, and store below -20°C up to 1 month or -70°C up to 6 months.
- In patients with hematocrit values greater than 55%, the citrate concentration must be adjusted so that a proper plasma/anticoagulant volume is maintained.
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Reject hemolyzed, clotted, overfilled tubes or short draw (<90%) sample
Setup Schedule
24x7
Reference Range
< 0.50 ug/mL FEU
Interpretation:
D-dimer test results must be interpreted in conjunction
with your clinical assessment of risk for DVT and/or PE. The
following guidelines are recommended:
1. A D-dimer level below 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL in a patient with a low clinical
risk for DVT/PE essentially excludes that diagnosis. Consider
alternative diagnoses.
2. A D-dimer level below 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL in a patient with a medium or
high clinical risk for acute DVT/PE does not definitively
exclude the diagnosis. Further work-up is suggested.
3. A D-dimer level above 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL is of limited diagnostic value,
as many other conditions are associated with elevated D-dimer
levels. If the patient's clinical risk for acute DVT/PE is
medium or high, further work-up may be indicated.
Interpretation:
D-dimer test results must be interpreted in conjunction
with your clinical assessment of risk for DVT and/or PE. The
following guidelines are recommended:
1. A D-dimer level below 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL in a patient with a low clinical
risk for DVT/PE essentially excludes that diagnosis. Consider
alternative diagnoses.
2. A D-dimer level below 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL in a patient with a medium or
high clinical risk for acute DVT/PE does not definitively
exclude the diagnosis. Further work-up is suggested.
3. A D-dimer level above 0.50 ug(FEU)/mL is of limited diagnostic value,
as many other conditions are associated with elevated D-dimer
levels. If the patient's clinical risk for acute DVT/PE is
medium or high, further work-up may be indicated.
Clinical Significance
Clinical applications for this test includes:
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a negative predictor for the diagnosis of a thrombotic episode (i.e., DVT, PE),
- Efficacy of treatment for a thrombotic episode and screen for possible re-occurrence (MI),
- Screen for other activation states of coagulation (i.e., post-operative, cancer, cirrhosis).
Performing Laboratory
CRMC Laboratory
CCMC Laboratory
FHSH Laboratory
