Vitamin B12, Serum

Vitamin B12, Serum

Epic Mnemonic
Sunquest Mnemonic

LAB67
B12

Category

Chemistry

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay

Test Performance Schedule

Sunday - Saturday

Result Availability

Within 24 hours

Container

Gold top (SST) or Red top (serum) tube

Volume

Pref. Vol.: 1.0 mL serum
Min. Vol.: 0.5 mL serum

Collection Instructions

• Routine venipuncture

• Immediately after collection, gently invert tube 5-10 times

• Clot 30 minutes

• Promptly centrifuge 10 minutes

• If no gel barrier is present immediately transfer serum or plasma to a plastic tube and refrigerate

• Properly centrifuged gel barrier tube does not require transfer of serum or plasma to separate tube

Transportation Instructions

Refrigerated

Stability

• Refrigerated: 2 days

Remarks

Patient Preparation:
• Patient must not receive injectable B12 for 1 month prior to test
• Samples for B12 determination should be collected from fasting patients

Biotin, also referred to as Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H, can interfere with this test when taken in mega doses of 5mg (5000 mcg) or more. It is often promoted as a skin and hair beauty aid. Please ask your patients to refrain from taking Biotin or supplements containing Biotin for at least 24 hours before collecting specimens for lab testing.

https://biotinfacts.roche.com/

https://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/safety/alertsandnotices/ucm586505.htm

CPT Codes

82607

Effective/Revised

7/31/2019

Nutritional and macrocytic anemias can be caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12. This deficiency can result from diets devoid of meat and bacterial products, from alcoholism, or from structural/functional damage to digestive or absorptive processes (forms of pernicious anemia). Malabsorption is the major cause of this deficiency through pancreatic deficiency, gastric atrophy or gastrectomy, intestinal damage, loss of intestinal vitamin B12 binding protein (intrinsic factor), production of autoantibodies directed against intrinsic factor, or related causes. This vitamin is necessary for normal metabolism, DNA synthesis and red blood cell regeneration. Untreated deficiencies will lead to megaloblastic anemia, and vitamin B12 deficiency results in irreversible central nervous system degeneration. Vitamin B12 or folate are both of diagnostic importance for the recognition of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, especially in the context of the differential diagnosis of megaloblastic anemia.