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Lab Manual for Moffitt-Long and Mount Zion

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Cortisol, serum

Item Value
Test Update Information Effective June 17, 2008, the Moffitt-Long and Mt Zion clinical laboratories will be changing the Cortisol assay to the Siemens Centaur chemiluminescent immunoassay method and updating the reference ranges.

Impact of the change: Little or no effect on assay results. New reference ranges have been established with the Centaur assay.

For the next 6 months, results will be appended with the comment NOTE: Cortisol assay and reference range changed on June 17, 2008. See UCSF Laboratory Manual for details.
Approval req'd? No
Available Stat? No
Test code CORT
Performed by China Basin Chemistry
In House Availability Monday-Friday (day shift)
Method Chemiluminescent immunoassay (Siemens Centaur)
Collection Instructions Morning samples (AM) should be drawn between 0700 and 0900 hours. Afternoon (PM) samples should be drawn between 1500 and 1700 hours. Normal ranges are based upon collection of samples within these timeframes.
Container type Gold top
Amount to Collect 1 mL blood
Sample type Serum
Preferred volume 0.5 mL serum
Min. Volume 0.2 mL serum
UCSF Rejection Criteria Samples collected outside of stated time frames
Processing notes Refrigerate
Units µg/dL
Normal range
AM (0700-0900 hours) 4-22 µg/dL
PM (1500-1700 hours) 3-17 µg/dL


Reference range adopted from vendor performed studies and verified by running lab personnel
Synonyms Compound F; 11-hydroxycorticosteroids; 11-hydroxycorticoids; 11-OH steroids; 11-OH corticosteroids; Cosyntropin provocative testing
Turn around times 1-3 days
Additional information The Centaur Cortisol assay is highly specific for cortisol.

Cross-reactivity by structurally related compounds and pharmaceuticals was determined by spiking each compound into separate human serum samples to a final level of 1000 µg/dL (27,590 nmol/L), unless otherwise noted.

% cross-reactivity = ((cortisol in spiked sample, µg/dL – cortisol in unspiked sample, µg/dL) x 100) / (concentration of compound added, µg/dL)

Compound Concentration of Compound tested Updated % Cross-Reactivity
Aldosterone 1000 µg/dL 0.3
Allotetrahydrocortisol 100 µg/dL 6.5
Andrastenedione 1000 µg/dL ND1
Corticosterone 1000 µg/dL 5.3
Cortisone 100 µg/dL 31.1
α-cortol 1000 µg/dL ND
α-cortolone 1000 µg/dL ND
β-cortol 1000 µg/dL ND
β-cortolone 1000 µg/dL ND
Dehydrocorticosterone 1000 µg/dL 1.9
11-deoxycorticosterone 1000 µg/dL 1.8
11-deoxycortisol 100 µg/dL 23.3
21-deoxycortisol 100 µg/dL 8.1
20α-dihydrocortisol 1000 µg/dL 0.5
20β-dihydrocortisol 1000 µg/dL 1.3
20α-dihydrocortisone 1000 µg/dL 0.2
20β-dihydrocortisone 1000 µg/dL ND
11β-hydroxyandrosterone 1000 µg/dL ND
6β-hydroxycortisol 1000 µg/dL 6.8
11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone 1000 µg/dL ND
11β-hydroxyprogesterone 1000 µg/dL 1.0
17α-hydroxyprogesterone 1000 µg/dL 1.2
17β-hydroxypregnanolone 1000 µg/dL ND
11-keto-androsterone 1000 µg/dL ND
11-keto-etiocholanolone 1000 µg/dL 1.8
Pregnanetriol 1000 µg/dL ND
Pregnenolone 1000 µg/dL 0.5
Progesterone 1000 µg/dL ND
Spironolactone 1000 µg/dL ND
Testosterone 1000 µg/dL 0.2
Tetrahydrocortisol 1000 µg/dL ND
Tetrahydrocortisone 1000 µg/dL 0.3
Tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol 1000 µg/dL ND
Prednisolone 50 µg/dL 109
6-methyl-prednisolone 100 µg/dL 26.2
Dexamethasone 1000 µg/dL 0.2
Prednisone 100 µg/dL 34.0
Canrenone 1000 µg/dL 0.3


* ND = Not Detectable
Last Updated 11/13/2009 12:18:32 PM
Entry Number 258
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