Protein, Total and Protein Electrophoresis with Immunofixation (IFE), Serum

Message

Interfaced

Test Code

IMES

Quest Code

24629

Preferred Specimen

4 mL serum

Patient Preparation
Overnight fasting preferred

Minimum Volume

2 mL

Transport Container

Transport tube

Transport Temperature

Room temperature

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: 4 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 28 days

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

Gross hemolysis • Grossly lipemic • Grossly icteric • Plasma

Methodology
Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) • Immunotyping • Immunofixation • Spectrophotometry (SP)

Reference Range

See Laboratory Report

Clinical Significance

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is an analytical technique that provides separation of serum protein into six fractions: Albumin, Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta-1, Beta-2, and Gamma. Interpretation of elevation, decreased, or visual change in different fractions can be used as a diagnostic aid for a variety of different disease states and protein abnormalities, including monoclonal gammopathies (MG).

Performing Laboratory

Quest Diagnostics-Pittsburgh Lab

875 Greentree Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15220-3508

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.