Specimen Requirements
Title
Copper, Serum or Plasma
Specimen Requirement
Collect a dark blue no additive tube or dark blue EDTA, centrifuge and transfer 1.0 mL serum/plasma to a screw top trace element transport tube within 45 minutes of collection. If collecting no additive transfer to serum trace element tube, if collecting EDTA transfer to a plasma trace element tube.
Serum/plasma cannot be left on the cells in original tube.
Methodology
Inductively-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS)
Stability
Room temp: 28 days, Refrigerated: 28 days, Frozen: 28 days
Reference Range
The reference range is determined by the performing laboratory and will show on the report.
Turnaround
2-4 days
Clinical Use
It is used, along with serum ceruloplasmin and urine copper to test for Wilson disease and more often, in monitoring the nutritional adequacy of parenteral or enteral nutrition, especially when copper deficiency may be suspected because of ongoing gastrointestinal losses of the element
Test Code
COP