Specimen

Serum AND Aural or Nasal

Collection Medium:

Minimum:

Adult preferred minimum: 2 mL serum AND 2 mL aural or nasal fluid in a 
CSF container
Adult absolute minimum: 0.5 mL serum AND 1 mL aural or nasal fluid in a 
CSF container
Pediatric minimum:  0.5 mL of serum AND 1.0 mL of aural or nasal fluid 
in a CSF container

Rejection Criteria:

Plasma specimens

Specimen
Instructions:

MUST:  Submit two samples types (serum AND aural or nasal fluid).

Analytic Time:

1 week

Reference Range:

None detected

Beta-2 transferrin is not detected in normal serum, tears, saliva, 
sputum, nasal, aural fluid, or endolymph by this method.

Interpretive Data:

Detection of a beta-2 transferrin band by IFE (Immunofixation
Electrophoresis) is diagnostic for the presence of CSF.  This test is a 
consideration in the differential diagnosis for CSF otorrhea or CSF
rhinorrhea.  Beta-2 transferrin is not detected in normal serum, ears,
saliva, sputum, nasal, aural fluid, or endolymph by this method.

Test
Limitations:

The beta-2 transferrin protein assay by IFE methodology is not a 
reliable method for detecting human perilymph due to the low 
sensitivity of the assay.

Methodology:

Immunofixation Electrophoresis

CPT Code:

86334 IFE Serum, 86335 IFE Fluid