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HelpTest Code ALC Alcohol, Blood
Useful For
Testing for alcohol is common in medical/legal cases concerning toxic or abused substances. Alcohol can be lethal by itself or can contribute to accidents of all types. Measurements obtained are used in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol intoxication and poisoning.
The test is not intended or sufficient for legal use.
Synonyms/Keywords
Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol, ETOH
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/Serum | Lithium-heparin Plasma Separator Tube (PST), Serum Separator Tube (SST) |
Lithium or Sodium-heparin Green Top (GTT), Red Top (RTT), Gray Top (GYTT) |
0.5 mL | 0.2 mL |
Collection/Processing Instructions
DO NOT use alcohol or other volatile disinfectants while collecting the specimen.
Body fluids with serum-like matrices may also be analyzed, but have no pre-defined reference ranges.
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Full, capped, spun Serum/Plasma | Refrigerated | 10 days |
| Aliquoted, capped Serum/Plasma | Refrigerated | 3 days |
| Large volume (≥2.5 mL) aliquoted uncapped Serum/Plasma | Ambient | 12 hours |
| Small volume (≤0.5 mL) aliquoted uncapped Serum/Plasma | Ambient | 2 hours |
| Serum/Plasma | Frozen | 30 days |
Reference Range Information
| Performing Location | Reference Range |
|---|---|
| All Performing Sites | None Detected |
| See Critical Value List for list of current critical values | |
Marshfield Labs Performing Department
Marshfield Labs Chemistry
Performing Information
| Performing Location | Day(s) Test Performed | Analytical Time | Methodology/Instrumentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Dam | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Weston | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Eau Claire | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Park Falls | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Ladysmith | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Rice Lake | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Marshfield | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Minocqua | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Neillsville | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
| Steven's Point | Monday through Sunday | Less than 2 hours | ETOH+ Emit*II Plus, Enzymatic Fixed Assay/Beckman AU |
CPT Codes
| CPT | Modifier (if needed) |
Quantity | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82077 | 1 |
Outreach CPT Codes
| CPT | Modifier (if needed) |
Quantity | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82077 | 1 |
Ordering Applications
| Ordering Application | Description |
|---|---|
| Cerner | Alcohol, Blood |