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Test Code LAB6036 Amino Acids, Quantitative, Spinal Fluid (CSF)

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital - Metabolic Genetics

Reference Values

Reference Range:

Age-dependent

See Amino Acids CSF Reference Values  

Critical Values: None established

Last Reviewed

08/2025

Methodology

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation: None

Container/Tube  
Preferred/Acceptable: 7.0 mL screw-capped, sterile, plastic CSF collection vial.
Collection Volume: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.3 mL)
Submission Container/Tube: If specimen is coming from an outside facility, process within 1 hour. Aliquot sample into a screw capped vial and freeze. Send specimen in dry ice to keep frozen.
Special Instructions: Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Note:

Call Laboratory Medicine resident at digital pager 314-747-1320 for approval before obtaining the specimen.

Note: Laboratory Medicine resident approval is not required for medical genetics patients.

Additional Information

FOR SLCH CORE LABORATORY USE ONLY

Lab Processing Instructions: Centrifuge specimen to separate and aliquot supernatant into a plastic, conical vial and freeze.
Processed Volume: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.3 mL) CSF
Analyte Stability:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
CSF (unprocessed)     Ambient 1 hour
CSF (processed) Refrigerated  NA
  Ambient  1 hour
  Frozen (preferred)    indefinitely         

Limitations

  • NA

Logistics

Day(s) Test Set Up: Monday-Friday
Cut-off time: Varies; batched once per day in a.m.
Turnaround Time: 3-5 days

Sample Rejection

Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen

Test Classification and CPT Coding

82139

Test Classification: This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by St. Louis Children's Hospital Clinical Laboratory. It has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

LOINC

35507-3

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Additional Information:

For BJH Laboratory Use Only

Laboratory Processing Instructions:
BJH Core Lab will forward to the performing laboratory. Send immediately to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Laboratory for testing.