Specimen:

Plasma

Collection Medium:

Alternate
Collection Media:

Call laboratory for additional acceptable specimen collection 
containers.

Minimum:

2 ml light green top tube
one 0.6 microtube (minimum)

Testing
Schedule:

24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Analytic Time:

1 hour (upon receipt in laboratory)

Reference Range:

*Nonsmoker: Less than or equal to 3.8 ng/ml
*Smoker: Less than 5.5 ng/ml

*Age 20-69 years

Comments:

Please print, complete and submit the Advance Beneficiary Notice 
(ABN) along with the Laboratory Requisition before shipping the 
specimen.

Test
Limitations:

Specimens from patients who have received preparations of mouse 
monoclonal antibodies for diagnosis or therapy may contain human 
anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA).  Such specimens may show either falsely 
elevated or depressed values.  Elevations in circulating CEA levels may 
be observed in smokers as well as in patients with nonmalignant 
disease.  For these reasons, a serum or plasma CEA level, regardless of 
value, should not be interpreted as absolute evidence for the presence 
or absence of malignant disease.  The CEA level should be used in 
conjunction with information available from clinical evaluation and 
other diagnostic procedures.

Methodology:

Electrochemiluminescent ImmunoAssay

Sample
Processing:

Centrifuge at 3000 RPM for 10 minutes.
Aliquot plasma into labeled container and cap.

Sample
Storage:

Refrigerate.

Transport
Instructions:

Place specimen into zip-lock type bag, seal bag.
Place requisition into outside pocket of bag.
Transport in cooler with refrigerated coolant packs.

CPT Code:

82378