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Test Code LAB811 Amino Acids, Quantitative, Blood

Limitations

  • NA

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital - Metabolic Genetics

Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation: None

Container/Tube  
Preferred: Mint green-top lithium heparin (MNTGRN LiHep) tube

Acceptable: Green-top (Lithium Heparin) microtainer®, Gold SST gel tube, Plain red-top tube, or DARK green-top (sodium heparin) tube.

Collection Volume:

3.0 mL (minimum 0.6 mL) whole blood
If collected in microtainer®, container MUST be full.
Submission container/tube: If specimen is coming from outside facility, process specimen within 1 hour. Aliquot plasma/serum into a screw cap plastic vial for transport (labeling aliquot with specimen type) and freeze. Send on dry ice to keep frozen.
Special Instructions: Send to lab promptly

Reference Values

Reference Range: Age dependent. See Amino Acid Reference Values

Critical Values: None established

Test Classifcation: 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.

Additional Information

For SLCH Laboratory use only

Lab Processing Instructions: Centrifuge specimen to separate, aliquot sample into a plastic conical tube and freeze within 1 hour of collection. Label aliquot with specimen type (plasma or serum).
Processed Volume: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.3 mL) plasma/serum
Analyte Stability:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole Blood (unprocessed)  Ambient 1 hour
Plasma/Serum (processed)    Refrigerated     NA
  Ambient  1  hour
  Frozen (preferred)    indefinitely    


NOTES: None

Test Classification and CPT Code

82139

Test classificaiton: 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.

Methodology

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

Logistics

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

LOINC

NA

Sample Rejection

Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen received

Last Reviewed

07/2025

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Additional Information:

For BJH Laboratory Use Only

Alternate Tube:

1 dark green-top (lithium heparin) tube

Laboratory Processing Instructions:

BJH Chemistry will forward to the performing laboratory. Centrifuge. Immediately aliquot 1 ml of serum and freeze. Send frozen to SLCH