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22234 Ammonia

Ammonia
Test Code: AMMON
Synonyms/Keywords
​​​NH3​
Useful For
Ammonia measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment of severe liver disorders such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and Reye’s syndrome.​
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
No​ Plasma​ Lithium or Sodium-heparin Green Top (GTT)​ ​ 1 mL​ 0.5 mL​ ​
Collection Processing Instructions
Per a product notification from the reagent vendor, frozen ammonia samples are not stable and will no longer be accepted.
 
Marshfield Campus: 
1. Draw heparinized venous or arterial blood. Indicate collection time on tube.
2. Immediately place tube in ice water, deliver to lab within 15 minutes.
3. Centrifuge cooled tube for 5 minutes.
4. Give centrifuged specimen to 24 Hour Lab personnel immediately.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma​ ​ Refrigerate​ 30 min​
Rejection Criteria
Samples drawn in PST tubes​
​Hemolysis greater than a trace
​ Frozen samples are not stable and will no longer be accepted
Interference

Sulfasalazine may interfere with Dimension Vista Ammonia assay (Weston) and cause falsely increased results.

For patients receiving treatment, venipuncture should occur prior to drug administration to prevent this interference.

Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Weston​ ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours ​Photometric/Siemens Dimension Vista
​Eau Claire ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
Park Falls​
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Ladysmith Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Lakeview Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday​
 ​Less than 2 hours ​Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
Marshfield​ Monday through Sunday​ Less than 2 hours​ Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Minocqua ​Monday through Sunday​Less than 2 hours​Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Neillsville​Monday through Sunday​​Less than 2 hours​Photometric/Siemens Dimension​

​Steven's Point
Monday through Sunday​​​
​​Less than 2 hours
Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU ​
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
All Preforming​ Sites Using Beckman AU Analyzers
 <=30 days:               <= 109 µmol/L 
   >30 days:              16 – 53 µmol/L
All Performing Sites​ Using Siemens Dimension​ Analyzers
 <= 60 days:             <= 100 µmol/L
>60 days​:              <= 32 µmol/L
See Critical Value Policy for list of current critical values.​ ​
Synonyms/Keywords
​​​NH3​
Ordering Applications

Ordering Application Description
​Cerner ​Ammonia Level 
​
If the ordering application you are looking for is not listed, contact your local laboratory for assistance.
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
No​ Plasma​ Lithium or Sodium-heparin Green Top (GTT)​ ​ 1 mL​ 0.5 mL​ ​
Collection Processing
Per a product notification from the reagent vendor, frozen ammonia samples are not stable and will no longer be accepted.
 
Marshfield Campus: 
1. Draw heparinized venous or arterial blood. Indicate collection time on tube.
2. Immediately place tube in ice water, deliver to lab within 15 minutes.
3. Centrifuge cooled tube for 5 minutes.
4. Give centrifuged specimen to 24 Hour Lab personnel immediately.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma​ ​ Refrigerate​ 30 min​
Rejection Criteria
Samples drawn in PST tubes​
​Hemolysis greater than a trace
​ Frozen samples are not stable and will no longer be accepted
Interference

Sulfasalazine may interfere with Dimension Vista Ammonia assay (Weston) and cause falsely increased results.

For patients receiving treatment, venipuncture should occur prior to drug administration to prevent this interference.

Useful For
Ammonia measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment of severe liver disorders such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and Reye’s syndrome.​
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
All Preforming​ Sites Using Beckman AU Analyzers
 <=30 days:               <= 109 µmol/L 
   >30 days:              16 – 53 µmol/L
All Performing Sites​ Using Siemens Dimension​ Analyzers
 <= 60 days:             <= 100 µmol/L
>60 days​:              <= 32 µmol/L
See Critical Value Policy for list of current critical values.​ ​
For more information visit:
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Weston​ ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours ​Photometric/Siemens Dimension Vista
​Eau Claire ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
Park Falls​
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Ladysmith Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Lakeview Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday​
 ​Less than 2 hours ​Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
Marshfield​ Monday through Sunday​ Less than 2 hours​ Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Minocqua ​Monday through Sunday​Less than 2 hours​Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU
​Neillsville​Monday through Sunday​​Less than 2 hours​Photometric/Siemens Dimension​

​Steven's Point
Monday through Sunday​​​
​​Less than 2 hours
Enzymatic Glutamate Dehydrogenase/Beckman AU ​
For billing questions, see Contacts
For most current information refer to the Marshfield Laboratory online reference manual.