Beta hCG Quant Tumor Marker
Test Mnemonic
BHCG
CPT Codes
- 84702 - QTY (1)
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Refrigerated | Allow specimen to clot completely at room temperature. Separate serum from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection. Transfer serum to standard aliquot tube. |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Plasma | EDTA (Lavender) | Refrigerated | Separate plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and transfer to standard aliquot tube. | |
| 1 mL | Plasma | Lithium heparin (Green) | Refrigerated | Separate plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and transfer to standard aliquot tube. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | After separation from cells: 2 weeks |
| Ambient | After separation from cells: 5 days |
| Frozen | After separation from cells: 1 year |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
2 - 3 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Electro Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) |
Reference Range
| Beta hCG Quant Tumor Marker | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Male | Normal | 0 - 3 | IU/L | Female | Normal | 0 - 5 | IU/L |
Special Info
Allow specimen to clot completely at room temperature. Specimens left to clot at 2-8°C or specimens subjected to repeated freeze/thaw cycles are not acceptable. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved. Add-ons will only be accepted from the emergency department providing an unopened/unprocessed tube is available for testing.
Clinical Info
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a valuable aid in the management of patients with trophoblastic tumors, nonseminomatous testicular tumors, and seminomas when used in conjunction with information available from the clinical evaluation and other diagnostic procedures. Increased serum hCG concentrations have also been observed in melanoma, carcinomas of the breast, gastrointestinal tract, lung, and ovaries, and in benign conditions, including cirrhosis, duodenal ulcer, and inflammatory bowel disease. This result cannot be interpreted as absolute evidence of the presence or absence of malignant disease. This result is not interpretable as a tumor marker in pregnant females. The combination of the specific monoclonal antibodies used in the Roche Beta HCG electrochemiluminescent immunoassay recognize the holo-hormone, "nicked" forms of hCG, the beta-core fragment, and the free beta-subunit. Results obtained with different test methods or kits cannot be used interchangeably. Although this assay is FDA cleared for use in the detection of pregnancy, it is not labeled for use as a tumor marker.