Preferred Specimen(s) 1 mL serum
Transport Container Plastic screw-cap vial
Transport Temperature
- Ambient 5 days,
- Refrigerated 14 days
Reject Criteria
- Gross hemolysis
- Plasma
Methodology Spectrophotometry
Clinical Significance Serum phosphorus (phosphate) levels alone are of limited diagnostic value and should be correlated with serum calcium levels. Increased phosphorus with decreased calcium suggests either hypoparathyroidism or renal disease. Decreased phosphorus and increased calcium suggests hyperparathyroidism or sarcoidosis. When both calcium and phosphorus are decreased diagnostic considerations include malabsorption, vitamin D deficiency and renal tubular acidosis. Increased phosphorus and normal or increased calcium suggests Milk-alkali syndrome or hypervitaminosis D.