Heterophile Antibody

Test Code

HET

Quest Code

654

CPT Codes
86308

Preferred Specimen

1 mL serum collected in a serum separator tube (SST)

Minimum Volume

0.2 mL

Transport Container

Plastic screw-cap vial

Transport Temperature

Room temperature

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: 4 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 30 days

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

Gross hemolysis

Methodology
Agglutination

Setup Schedule

Set up: Mon-Sat; Report available: Next day

Limitations

Failure to develop heterophil antibodies occurs frequently in children and in about 10% of adults with infectious mononucleosis. In these cases, development of EBV antibodies is applicable. 955 specificity. Less than 2% false-positives have occurred in patients with Hodgkin disease, acute lymphoma, acute lymphomatic leukemia, infectious hepatitis, pancreatic carcinoma, cytomegalovirus, Burkitt lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis, malaria and rubella.

Reference Range

Negative

Clinical Significance

Heterophile antibodies, in patients with infectious mononucleosis, may be present as early as the fourth day of illness, and by the twenty-first day of illness, 90% of patients will exhibit a positive test. The Epstein-Barr virus causes infectious mononucleosis.

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.