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Beta 2 Transferrin

Detection of Spinal Fluid in Other Body Fluid

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB6875, Beaker: XBETA, MAYO: BETA2

Department

Send Outs

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: 0.5 mL body fluid in a sterile collection container. (Minimum: 0.05 mL)

• Specimen sources include nasal, otic, and others as needed.
• Direct collections may be done with a pipet, syringe, test tube, or micro-collection device. If submitting a syringe, remove needle. Add cap to end of syringe.
  • Although results may be obtainable on smaller specimens (perhaps as little as 0.05 mL, depending on the protein concentrations and percentage of spinal fluid in the specimen), reliable results are best obtained with an adequate specimen volume.
  • If direct collection is not feasible, specimen may be collected using a cotton swab.
    • Place cotton swab in as small a container as possible (for example, a tightly-stoppered test tube).
    • Do NOT add any additional fluid to swab including, but not limited to, saline or micro-collection fluids.
    • Tightly seal container.
    • Indicate specimen type.
• Critical frozen. Send specimen for processing immediately after collection.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Critical frozen. Maintain specimens frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 0.5 mL body fluid, frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below). (Minimum: 0.05 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Specimens other than body fluids.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Critical frozen. Maintain specimens frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below) prior to transport.

Transport: 0.5 mL body fluid, frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below). (Minimum: 0.05 mL) 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): Unacceptable
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 30 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Mayo Medical Laboratories, Rochester, MN.

Performed

Monday – Saturday.
Results available in 2-4 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Electrophoresis/Immunofixation.

Interpretation

Detection of beta-2 transferrin band by IFE is diagnostic for the presence of CSF. Beta-2 transferrin has not been detected in tears, nasal or aural fluid, saliva, perilymph or endolymph. Occasionally, transferrin variants are detected in serum. For this reason, running both serum and fluid is necessary to avoid a false positive interpretation.

If the CSF is present in sufficiently small amounts and is diluted by normal nasal or aural secretions the CSF beta-2 transferrin may be undetectable.

Clinical Utility

CSF leakage into nasal or aural cavities may occur for a number of reasons, e.g. following trauma, surgical procedures, infection, or be related to neoplasms and congenital malformations. Detection of beta-2 transferrin using immunofixation is the only routine test currently available to reliably distinguish CSF from another fluid.

CPT Codes

86335

Contacts

Last Updated

10/26/2023