Calcitonin
(CALT)

Sample type:

serum (red tube)

Uses:

calcitonin test is most often used to:

1) Help diagnose C-cell hyperplasia and medullary thyroid cancer

2) Find out if treatment for medullary thyroid cancer is working

3) Find out if medullary thyroid cancer has returned after treatment

4) Screen people with a family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). A family history of this disease can put you at a higher risk for developing medullary thyroid cancer.

is found in the blood, it may be a sign of a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). High levels may also be a sign of other thyroid diseases that can put you at a higher risk for getting MTC

Precaution:

may need to fast (not eat or drink) for several hours before the test. Your health care provider will let you know if you need to fast and if there are any special instructions to follow.

Interfering factors:

1. Levels are normally increased in pregnancy at term and in newborns.

2. Gross lipemia and hemolysis interfere with test.

Pre analytical errors:

1) The patient is taking medication that increases calcitonin.

2) When collecting specimens in an unsterile tube, the sample becomes contaminated, leading to an incorrect result

Corrective action:

1) Technicians must be Telling the patient about medication that affecting on this test.

2) The sample must be rejected and another sample obtained because the sample should be collected in sterile tubes.

Post analytical error:

Sharing the results of patients or writing the result incorrectly.

Corrective action:

Attention when delivered the results of patient and write them in the reports.

Reference range:

male: <19 pg/mL or <19 ng/L

female: <14 pg/mL or <14 ng/L