ARUP's Laboratory Test Directory

0028250: Iron, Liver

Test Mnemonic: FE LIVER
Methodology: Inductively Coupled Plasma/Mass Spectrometry

Performed: Mon, Wed, Fri

Reported: 2-6 days

Specimen Required:  
Collect: Liver tissue.

Transport: At least a 1 cm long specimen (obtained with an 18 gauge needle) at 2-8°C. Tissue can be fresh, paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed, or dried. Specimens should be stored and transported in a metal-free container such as a royal blue (no additive).

Remarks: Paraffin blocks are acceptable. Age is required on test request form in order to calculate iron index. Formalin is acceptable, but not preferred.

Unacceptable Conditions: Specimens less than 0.25 mg (dry weight). Samples stored or shipped in saline.

Stability: In paraffin block, preserved (formalin), or dried: Ambient: Indefinitely; Refrigerated: Indefinitely; Frozen: Indefinitely
Fresh tissue: Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: 1 week; Frozen: Indefinitely

Reference Interval:
Male: 
Hepatic Iron Content (HIC): 200-2,000 µg/g of tissue
HII: less than 1.0

Female:
Hepatic Iron Content (HIC): 200-1,600 µg/g of tissue
HII: less than 1.0

Interpretive Data:
A Hepatic Iron Index (HII) is not calculated for patients less than 14 years.  An HII less than 1.0 is consistent with normal iron accumulation.  An HII 1.0 through 1.9 is consistent with mild iron accumulation such as in heterozygous hemochromatosis or alcoholic liver disease.  An HII greater than 1.9 is consistent with iron overload such as in homozygous hemochromatosis, porphyria cutanea tarda, and cirrhotic liver disease.  The HII will decrease with chelation, chronic blood loss, or phlebotomy.



CPT Code(s):
83540