Specimen Requirements
Title
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Plasma
Specimen Requirement
ACTH should be drawn between 7 AM and 10 AM.
Collect into iced lavender (EDTA) tube, noting time of collection. After venipuncture, immediately immerse the tube in an ice bath. Centrifuge within 1 hour, transfer minimum 0.8 mL plasma to a screw top plastic vial, indicate plasma/EDTA on transport tube. Freeze immediately and ship on dry ice.
Methodology
Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA)
Stability
Frozen: 14 days
Reference Range
By Report*
Turnaround
1-2 days
Clinical Use
Pituitary function test useful in the differential diagnosis of Cushing syndrome, ectopic ACTH syndrome (eg, carcinoma of lung, islet cell tumors, carcinoid tumors, medullary carcinoma of thyroid), Addison disease, hypopituitarism, and ACTH-producing pituitary tumors (eg, Nelson syndrome)
Test Code
ACTHS