Iron tests

Iron tests
Purpose	evaluate iron level

Iron tests are groups of clinical chemistry laboratory blood tests that are used to evaluate body iron stores or the iron level in blood serum. Other terms used for the same tests are iron panel, iron profile, iron indices, iron status or iron studies.

Tests

• Serum iron
• Ferritin
• Transferrin
• Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
• Transferrin saturation (Iron saturation of transferrin)
• Unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC)
• Transferrin receptor (TfR)

Related tests

• Complete blood count (CBC), especially:
  • Hemoglobin, EVF or total red blood cells (RBC count)
  • Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
  • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) or MCHC

Diagnosis

IRON PANEL	Serum iron	Transferrin and TIBC	Transferrin saturation	Ferritin	Transferrin receptor	Related tests
						Hb	MCV
Iron deficiency anemia	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg
Iron overload (hemochromatosis)	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg*	Normal
Anemia of chronic disease	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg*	File:Gnome-go-down.svg*	File:Gnome-go-down.svg
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT)	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	Normal
Thalassemia	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg
Sideroblastic anemia	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg*	File:Gnome-go-down.svg
Megaloblastic anemia	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg	File:Human-go-up.svg
Hemolytic anemia	File:Human-go-up.svg*	File:Gnome-go-down.svg*	File:Human-go-up.svg*	File:Human-go-up.svg*	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg
Pregnancy or use of hormonal contraception	Normal	File:Human-go-up.svg	File:Gnome-go-down.svg

* = or normal.

See also

• Reference ranges for blood tests#Ions and trace metals, for reference ranges for tests above

References

• Iron Level Blood Test - Personal Home Medical Tests - testnord.co.uk