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HelpTest Code VITC Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Plasma
Shipping Instructions
Ship specimen frozen on dry ice in amber vial to protect from light.
Specimen Required
Patient Preparation:
Fasting: 12 hours, required; infants should have specimen collected before next feeding
Supplies: Amber Frosted Tube, 5 mL (T915)
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Green top (sodium or lithium heparin) (plasma gel/PST are not acceptable)
Submission Container/Tube: Amber vial
Specimen Volume: 1 mL Plasma
Collection Instructions:
1. Immediately place specimen on wet ice and process within 2 hours of collection.
2. Centrifuge at 4° C, aliquot plasma into amber vial to protect from light.
3. Freeze plasma immediately, ideally at or below -60° C, protected from light.
CMH COLLECTION: 3 mL in Sodium heparin green vacutainer. Protect from light, and immediately deliver to the lab on ice.
Specimen Minimum Volume
Plasma: 0.5 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma Heparin | Frozen | 14 days | LIGHT PROTECTED |
Useful For
Identifying vitamin C deficiency
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | Reject |
| Gross lipemia | OK |
| Gross icterus | OK |
| Not light protected | Reject |
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday
Report Available
3 to 5 daysReporting Name
Ascorbic Acid, PReference Values
0.4-2.0 mg/dL
Method Name
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Portions of this test are covered by patents held by Quest Diagnostics
Performing Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
CPT Code Information
82180