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Geisinger Medical Laboratories Test Catalog
PROLACTIN, DILUTION STUDY |
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ORDERING INFORMATION: |
Geisinger Epic Procedure Code: LAB1302 Geisinger Epic ID: 53133 | |
SPECIMEN COLLECTION |
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Specimen type: |
Serum | |
Preferred collection container: |
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Alternate Collection Container: |
6 mL red-top (plain, non-serum separator) tube
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Specimen required: |
1 mL serum; minimum 0.5 mL. | |
Patient preparation: |
Overnight fasting is preferred. | |
| SPECIMEN PROCESSING |
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Specimen processing instructions: |
Centrifuge and aliquot. | |
Transport temperature: |
Room temperature. | |
Specimen stability: |
Room temperature: 5 days. Refrigerated: 7 days. Frozen: 28 days. | |
TEST DETAILS |
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CPT code(s): |
84146 x2 | |
| Note: The billing party has sole responsibility for CPT coding. Any questions regarding coding should be directed to the payer being billed. The CPT codes provided by GML are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. | ||
Test includes: |
Diluted and undiluted prolactin. | |
Methodology: |
Immunoassay |
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Synonyms: |
Quest test code 40049, Prolac Dilut
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Clinical significance: |
Prolactin is a single-chain polypeptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary under the control of prolactin-releasing factors. These inhibiting and releasing factors are secreted by the hypothalamus. Prolactin is also synthesized by the placenta and is present in amniotic fluid. Prolactin initiates and maintains lactation in females. It also plays a role in regulating gonadal function in both males and females. In adults, basal circulating prolactin is present in concentrations up to 30 ng/mL. During pregnancy and postpartum lactation, serum prolactin can increase 10-to 20-fold. Exercise, stress, and sleep also cause transient increases in prolactin levels. Consistently elevated serum prolactin levels greater than 30 ng/mL in the absence of pregnancy and postpartum lactation are indicative of hyperprolactinemia, which is the most common hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction encountered in clinical endocrinology. Hyperprolactinemia often results in galactorrhea, amenorrhea, and infertility in females, and in impotence and hypogonadism in males. Renal failure, hypothyroidism, and prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas are also common causes of abnormally elevated prolactin levels. | |