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Testosterone, Total, Females or Children (Southeast Michigan Only)

Testosterone, Females and Children, Total Testosterone, Women and Children

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB1231057, SOFT: TESTF

Department

Toxicology

Instructions

This test should be ordered on females and patients ages 18 and younger and measures total testosterone by LC/MS/MS. This method has the analytical sensitivity and specificity required to quantify testosterone normally present in the serum of females or children.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect (preferred specimen): One Gold-top SST tubes. (Minimum Whole Blood: 4.0 mL)
Also acceptable: One plain Red-top tube.

• Contact the Laboratory for acceptability of other tube types.
• Due to Diurnal variation, it is recommended that the specimen be collected between 6:00 am – 10:00 am, however, it is not required and specimens collected at other times will not be rejected.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimens clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge within 2 hours of collection to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, refrigerated (2-8 °C or 36-46 °F). (Minimum Serum: 1.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Specimens collected with EDTA.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated

In-Lab Processing

Let specimens clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge within 2 hours of collection to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 24 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 6 months

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

Royal Oak Toxicology Laboratory

Performed

Sunday – Saturday.
Results available in 2-6 days

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Quantitative High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Clinical Utility

• Testosterone measurement in women and children has been an analytical challenge due to the relatively low concentrations observed in these populations. Further difficulties have involved concerns over the specificity of available immunoassays for testosterone, particularly at low levels (1, 2). A third issue has been the existence of testosterone in both a protein bound (presumably inactive) and an unbound (theoretically active) form.
• Accurate measurement of total testosterone and its bound and unbound sub-fractions in women are important in the assessment of hyperandrogenic states such as hirsutism, acne, polycystic ovarian syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and androgen secreting tumors. There is additional value in the assessment of pediatric growth, precocious and delayed puberty, hypogonadism and unexplained virilization in children under the age of 18 years.
• Testosterone measurement using LC-MS/MS is designed to measure total testosterone at low levels commonly seen in women and children.

CPT Codes

84403
LOINC:  2986-8

Contacts

Last Updated

11/22/2024