Hepatitis C RNA Quantification by PCR
Test Mnemonic
HCQPCR
CPT Codes
- 87522 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
11011-4
Aliases
- HCV Quant RNA by PCR
- Hepatitis C Quantitative PCR
- Hepatitis C Viral Load
Performing Laboratory
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mL | Plasma | EDTA PPT (White) | Refrigerated | Centrifuge within 24 hours of collection. Sample must be aliquoted first if sample is to be frozen. Sample cannot be shared with a test performed outside of Molecular Microbiology. Sample can only be shared with CMVQNT, HCQPCR, HIVRNA, HBVDNU, EBVQNT, or BKQUAN. |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Refrigerated | Centrifuge within 24 hours of collection. Sample must be aliquoted first if sample is to be frozen. Sample cannot be shared with a test performed outside of Molecular Microbiology. Sample can only be shared with CMVQNT, HCQPCR, HIVRNA, HBVDNU, EBVQNT, or BKQUAN. | |
| 3 mL | Plasma | EDTA (Lavender) | Refrigerated | Centrifuge within 24 hours. Aliquot into sterile transport tube. Sample cannot be shared with a test performed outside of Molecular Microbiology. Sample can only be shared with CMVQNT, HCQPCR, HIVRNA, HBVDNU, EBVQNT, or BKQUAN. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mL | Sample cannot be shared with a test performed outside of Molecular Microbiology. Sample can only be shared with CMVQNT, HCQPCR, HIVRNA, HBVDNU, EBVQNT, or BKQUAN. |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | 6 days |
| Frozen | 12 weeks |
Days Performed
Mon - Fri
Turnaround Time
3 - 5 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Quant | |
| Reverse Transcription/Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT/PCR) |
Reference Range
| HCV RNA (IU/mL) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| ~ | IU/mL | ||||
| Log HCV Quant RNA | |||||
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| ~ | log IU/mL |
Special Info
Specimens collected in heparin cannot be used.
Clinical Info
The assay is intended for use as an aid in the management of HCV infected individuals undergoing anti-viral therapy, and results are to be interpreted within the context of all relevant clinical and labgoratory findings.
Clinical Limitation
The Linear range of this assay is 15 IU/ml to 100,000,000 IU/ml.