Procalcitonin

Test Code

16265

Preferred Specimen

2 mL serum

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Other Acceptable Specimens

Plasma collected in: EDTA (lavender-top) tube, sodium heparin (green-top) tube, or lithium heparin (green-top) tube

Instructions

Allow blood (red-top) to fully coagulate at room temperature. Within 1 hour of collection, centrifuge serum at 2000 rpm for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer serum into a clean plastic screw-capped vial and refrigerate.

Transport Container

Plastic screw-cap vial

Transport Temperature

Refrigerated (cold packs)

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 5 days
Frozen: 28 days

Methodology
Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA)

Setup Schedule

Set up: Sun-Fri; Report available: 1-2 days

Reference Range

Procalcitonin

<0.10 ng/mL

Neonate Reference Ranges

Ages in hours	PCT (ng/mL)
At birth	<2.00
18-20 hours	<20.00
48 hours	<5.00

Clinical Significance

Used in the diagnosis of bacteremia and septicemia in adults and children (including neonates), renal involvement in urinary tract infection in children, bacterial infection in neutropenic patients, and in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and monitoring of septic shock, systemic secondary infection post-surgery, as well as in severe trauma, burns, and multiorgan failure. Differential diagnosis of bacterial versus viral meningitis. Differential diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial versus viral pneumonia. Monitoring of therapeutic response to antibacterial therapy.

Performing Laboratory
Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute
14225 Newbrook Drive
Chantilly, VA 20153

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.