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Test Code DDMR or LAB313 (ng/mL FEU) D-Dimer, Quantitative, Blood

Important Note

If the patient's hematocrit is > 55%, please call the lab to obtain a special blue top with an adjusted level of anticoagulant.

Test Update: The reported units for D-dimer were changed to ng/ml from ug/ml on 6/10/2024. The reference range is updated from <0.50 ug/mL to <500.0 ng/mL.

Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type:

Whole Blood

Container Type:

Blue top: 2.7 mL or 1.8 mL

Optimal Collection Volume:
  • 2.7 mL in solid blue top tube or 1.8 mL in clear blue top tube.  The correct fill volume is indicated by the etched line on the tube.
  • Click here to view the specimen collection guide for blue top (citrate) tubes.

Collection Instructions:
  1. Do not draw from an arm with a heparin lock.
  2. If collected through a blood collection set (butterfly), a discard tube must first be drawn to eliminate dead space from tubing.
  3. Gently invert 5 to 10 times to mix blood.

Specimen Transport Temperature:
  • Room temperature up to 24 hours. If testing is delayed, separate plasma and freeze (see outpatient collection instructions below).
  • Specimens cannot be refrigerated

Processing Instructions:
  1. Centrifuge sample within 24 hours of collection. Platelet-poor plasma must be obtained per laboratory procedure.
  2. If testing will be delayed >2 4 hours from collection, aliquot plasma into a separate vial and freeze immediately.

Outpatient collections

  1. Spin down the sample, remove plasma, and spin plasma again to obtain platelet-poor plasma.
  2. Separate the platelet-poor plasma into a screw-top vial.
  3. Freeze plasma immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type

Temperature

Time

Whole blood

Room Temperature

24 hours

Whole blood

Refrigerated

24 hours

Platelet poor plasma

Room Temperature

24 hours

Platelet poor plasma

Refrigerated

24 hours

Platelet poor plasma

Frozen at -20 C

2 weeks

Specimen Rejection Criteria

  • Tube underfilled
  • Refrigerated specimen
  • Clotted specimen

Useful For

Diagnosis of intravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis (ICF), also known as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), especially when combined with clinical information and other laboratory test data (eg, platelet count, assays of clottable fibrinogen and soluble fibrin monomer complex, and clotting time assays-prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time)

 

Exclusion of the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, particularly when results of a sensitive D-dimer assay are combined with clinical information, including pretest disease probability

Methodology

ACL TOP - Latex immunoassay

Reference Ranges

≤ 500 ng/mL  FEU    (Fibrinogen Equivalent Units) 

Interpretive

Values ≤ 500 ng/mL FEU can be used in conjunction with a low or moderate clinical pretest probability to exclude dep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The results of this test should always be interpreted in conjunction with the patient's medical history, clinical presentation, and other findings.

Consideration may be given to using an age-adjusted cutoff for patients >50 years old. (cutoff: ≤ age in years x 10ng/mL). For example, a patient who is 65 years of age would have an age-adjusted cutoff of ≤ 650 ng/mL.

Day(s) Performed

24/7

Expected TAT

Same day

Performing Laboratory

Bronson Laboratory, Coagulation - Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Paw Paw, South Haven

Sample Retention Time

24 hours

CPT Code

85380

LOINC Code

48065-7