Sign in →

Test Code DICSCR DIC Panel

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Plasma and Whole Blood

Preferred Specimen: 1 Light Blue Top Tube, 3.2% Sodium Citrate and  1 Lavender Top Tube

Other Acceptable specimens: N/A

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

NOTE: Once each blue top tube is completely filled, gently invert the sample tube at least five times to ensure complete mixing of the contents.

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

Blue top tube instructions:

  • Collect specimen per standard collection procedure.
  • Once each blue top tube is completely filled, gently invert the sample tube at least five times to ensure complete mixing of the contents.
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Carefully remove plasma from cells using a plastic transfer pipette avoiding buffy coat.
  • Aliquot removed plasma into 2 plastic tubes containing a minimum of 1.0 mL of specimen in each tube.
  • Plasma samples must then be frozen at -20oC.
  • Once solidly frozen, they must be shipped on dry ice. Samples that have thawed in transit will be rejected.

Lavender top tube instructions:

Do not centrifuge.
Do not freeze.

Send whole blood specimen.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Specimens that have wrong ratio of blood to anticoagulant (fill volume), clotted or grossly hemolyzed.

Reference Values

 

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

PT

All

All

12.0 - 14.0 seconds

D-Dimer

All

All

<0.40 µg/mL FEU

Platelet Count

All

All

150 - 450 x 10³/µL

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

INR

N/A

N/A

>3.9

All

Fibrinogen

mg/dL

<80

N/A

All

All Platelet Counts

x 10³/µL

<30

>1,000

All

CPT Codes

D-dimer: 85379

Fibrinogen: 85384

PT: 85610

Platelet Count: 85049

 

LOINC Codes

5902-2, 3255-7, 48065-7, 777-3

Volume

Preferred Volume: 1.0 mL plasma and 2.0 mL blood in 4 mL lavender tube

 

Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL plasma and 2.0 mL blood in 4 mL lavender tube

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

4 hours

Refrigerated

Plasma: not acceptable

Whole Blood in Lavender tube: up to 24 hours

Frozen

30 days

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

NOTE: Once each blue top tube is completely filled, gently invert the sample tube at least five times to ensure complete mixing of the contents.

 

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

STAT Turnaround Time: 50 minutes

 

Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours

 

Testing Schedule: 24/7

Clinical Indications

Scoring patients likelihood of DIC by laboratory testing

Methodology

Clotting (PT and Fibrinogen)

Latex Immunoassay (d-dimer)

Sysmex XE5000 (platelet count)

Synonyms/Keyword Search

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Additional Information

ISTH DIAGNOSTIC SCORING SYSTEM FOR DIC
Risk assessment:

Does the patient have an underlying disorder known to be associated with overt DIC?

If yes, proceed
If not, do not use this algorithm

Order global coagulation tests (Platelet Count, D-Dimer, PT, Fibrinogen)


Score the test results:


Platelet Count (per uL): >100,000 = 0;
50,000-100,000 = 1; <50,000 = 2
 

Elevated D-Dimer (ug/mL FEU):

<0.4=0,

0.4-4.0 = 2,

>4.0 = 3


Prolongation (in seconds) of PT above
upper limit of its normal reference range:

<3.0 = 0,
3.0-6.0 = 1,

>6.0 = 2

Fibrinogen level (mg/dL):

>100 = 0
<100 = 1

Calculate score:

If score 5 or greater, compatible with
overt DIC: Repeat score daily

If score less than 5, suggestive (not affirmative) for non-overt DIC:
Repeat next 1-2 days

Last Review Date

03/13/2024