Preferred Specimen(s) 1 mL serum
Transport Container Amber plastic screw-cap vial or foil-wrapped plastic screw-cap vial
Transport Temperature
- Ambient 5 days,
- Refrigerated 2 weeks
Reject Criteria Gross hemolysis • Anticoagulants other than heparin
Methodology Spectrophotometry
Clinical Significance Measurement of the levels of bilirubin is used in the diagnosis and treatment of liver, hemolytic, hematologic, and metabolic disorders, including hepatitis and gall bladder obstruction. The assessment of direct bilirubin is helpful in the differentiation of hepatic disorders. The increase in total bilirubin associated with obstructive jaundice is primarily due to the direct (conjugated) fraction. Both direct and indirect bilirubin is increased in the serum with hepatitis.