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Test Code Billings Clinic: 2028 D-Dimer (Ultra-Sensitive), Plasma

Performing Laboratory

Billings Clinic Laboratory: Coagulation

Useful For

  • Detection of elevated levels of crosslinked fibrin derivatives may be a useful tool in the diagnosis and management of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), pulmonary embolism, venous thrombosis, and thrombolytic treatments.
  • Assay is insensitive to fibrinogen and products of fibrinogen lysis.

Methodology

Turbidimetric

Specimen Requirements

Specimen Collection and Handling:

  • Draw blood in a light blue-top (3.2% sodium citrate) tube(s).
  • Immediately after draw, gently invert tube(s) at least 6 times to mix well.
  • Spin down, remove plasma, spin plasma again, and place 1 mL of citrate platelet-poor plasma in plastic vial immediately after blood collection
  • Glass vial is not acceptable.
  • Double-centrifuged specimens are critical for accurate results as platelet contamination may cause spurious results.

 

Specimen Transport:

  • Freeze specimen immediately at -20° C.  Plasma MUST be frozen within 4 hours of blood collection
  • Send specimen frozen.

Storage/Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma Ambient 4 hours
  Refrigerated 24 hours
  Frozen (preferred) 4 weeks

Reject Due To

  • Clotted
  • Incorrect collection tube
  • Hemolysis
  • Incorrect fill volume (too full or not enough)

Reference Values

0.0 - 0.49 mg/L FEU (fibrinogen equivalent unit)

Day(s) Test Set Up

Daily

Test Classification and CPT Coding

85379 - Fibrin degradation products, D-dimer; quantitative

LOINC Code Information

Reporting Name LOINC Code
D-Dimer 48065-7