Ordering Recommendation

Preferred serotonin test when diagnosing carcinoid tumors is Serotonin, Whole Blood (0080395).

New York DOH Approval Status

This test is New York state approved.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation

Abstain from medications for 72 hours prior to collection.

Collect

Serum Separator Tube(SST).

Specimen Preparation

Separate from cells within 1 hour of collection. Transfer 0.5 mL serum to an ARUP Standard Transport Tube. (Min: 0.2 mL)

Storage/Transport Temperature

Frozen. Separate specimens must be submitted when multiple tests are ordered.

Unacceptable Conditions

Specimens other than serum. Non-frozen specimens.

Remarks
Stability

After separation from cells: Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: 24 hours; Frozen: 1 month

Methodology

Quantitative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Performed

Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

Reported

1-5 days

Reference Interval

50-220 ng/mL

Interpretive Data

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by ARUP Laboratories. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This test was performed in a CLIA certified laboratory and is intended for clinical purposes.

Compliance Category

Laboratory Developed Test (LDT)

Note

Medications that may affect serotonin concentrations include lithium, MAO inhibitors, methyldopa, morphine, and reserpine.  In general, foods that contain serotonin do not interfere significantly.  Slight increases may be seen in acute intestinal obstruction, acute MI, cystic fibrosis, dumping syndromes, and nontropical sprue.  Metastasizing abdominal carcinoid tumors often show serotonin concentrations greater than 400 ng/mL.

In general, EDTA whole blood (as compared to serum) preserved with ascorbic acid will give values most representative of blood concentrations. Most (95 percent) of blood serotonin is found in platelets. Refer to Serotonin, Whole Blood (ARUP test code 0080395).

Hotline History

N/A

CPT Codes

84260

Components

Component Test Code* Component Chart Name LOINC
0080397 Serotonin, Serum 27057-9
* Component test codes cannot be used to order tests. The information provided here is not sufficient for interface builds; for a complete test mix, please click the sidebar link to access the Interface Map.

Aliases

  • 5-HT
  • 5-Hydroxy Tryptamine
  • 5-Hydroxytryptamine
Serotonin, Serum