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Test Name:
Vitamin B12


  • SBMF No:
    30041
  • Performance Lab Name:
    Automated Lab
  • Test Mnemonic:
    B12
  • ABN:
    Not required
  • CPT Code:
    82607
  • LOINC Code:
    2132-9
  • Also Known As:
    B12
    Cobalamin, True
  • Also See:
    30039 – Vitamin B12 with RBC Folate
    30040 – Vitamin B12 with Serum Folate
  • Spec Type:
    Serum
  • Spec Container:
    Gold top (SST) or red top (serum) tube
  • Alt Spec Type:
    Plasma
  • Alt Spec Container:
    Lavender top (EDTA) tube
  • Pref Vol:
    1.0 mL
  • Min Vol:
    0.5 mL
  • Fasting:
    Recommended
  • Patient Prep:
    Fasting 12 hours preferred
    Testing not recommended within 1 month of B12 injection or 8 hours of last biotin dose
  • Spec Collect:
    Routine venipuncture
  • Spec Process:
    Protect from light
    Serum sample tubes, clot 30 minutes
    All tubes, promptly centrifuge 15 minutes
    Immediately transfer serum or plasma to amber transfer tube
    Preferred sample is serum or plasma, protected from light and refrigerated (2-8°C)
  • Spec Store Transport:
    Refrigerated and protected from light
  • Spec Stability:
    Room temperature (20-30°C): Unacceptable
    1 week refrigerated (2-8°C)
    2 months frozen (-20°C) – Do not use frost-free units that undergo repeated freeze/thaw cycles
  • Spec Reject:
    Heat-inactivated sample
  • Methodology:
    Electrochemiluminescent Immunoassay (ECLIA)
  • Use:
    Diagnose the etiology of anemia
  • Clinical Significance:
    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). Malabsoportion 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. Since a deficiency of either vitamin B12 or folate can cause megaloblastic anemia, it is advisable to determine the concentration of both vitamin B12 and folate in order to properly diagnose the etiology of anemia.
  • Reference Range:
    243-894 pg/mL
  • Day Run:
    Sun-Sat (daily)
  • Time Run:
    As received
  • Time Reported:
    4 hours
  • Test Type:
    HEMATOLOGY

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