Sign in →

Test ID FHLC Immunoglobulin M (IgM) Heavy and Light Chain (HLC) Pairs, Kappa and Lambda with Ratio


Specimen Required


Patient Preparation: Patient should be fasting for eight hours to avoid lipemic sample interference.

Specimen Type: Serum

Collection Container/Tube: SST or Red top

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 0.75 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Draw blood in a plain red-top tube, serum gel tube(s) is also acceptable.

2. Separate serum immediately after coagulation (30 minutes) to prevent hemolysis. Send 0.75 mL of serum refrigerated in a plastic vial.


Secondary ID

75455

Useful For

Heavy and light chain pair quantitation may be useful for:

1. Distinguishing between broadly migrating monoclonal proteins and restricted polyclonal immunoglobulin patterns on serum electrophoresis. 

2. Quantitating monoclonal IgM proteins that are difficult to quantitate using serum protein electrophoresis alone.

3. Providing a more specific quantitation of the monoclonal protein than total IgM measurements alone.

Method Name

Turbidimetric

Reporting Name

IgM Heavy Light Chains (HLC), S

Specimen Type

Serum

Specimen Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days
  Ambient  7 days
  Frozen  7 days

Clinical Information

Elevated serum concentrations of monoclonal protein are indicative of an underlying abnormality, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), multiple myeloma, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and other lymphoproliferative disorders. Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) densitometry is recommended to quantify monoclonal proteins.

 

Nephelometry can also be used in these instances to measure total IgM, but this will include nontumor immunoglobulin, and measurement of either IgM Kappa or IgM Lambda may provide additional information regarding tumor production.

Reference Values

IgM Kappa (g/L): 0.29-1.82

IgM Lambda (g/L): 0.17-0.94

IgM Kappa:IgM Lambda ratio: 0.96-2.30

Cautions

Decisions on patient evaluation and management must not be given on the basis of IgM Kappa, IgM Lambda, or IgM Kappa:IgM Lambda ratio measurements alone. Clinical history and other laboratory findings must be taken into account.

Heavy and light chain (HLC) quantitation should be used as a complementary method to serum protein electrophoresis.

The effect of therapeutic drugs on the measurement of IgM Kappa and IgM Lambda by this assay has not been evaluated.

Small increases in the concentrations of monoclonal IgM proteins may not result in an altered HLC pair ratio.

Day(s) Performed

Tuesday, Friday

Report Available

1 to 9 days

Performing Laboratory

LabCorp Burlington

CPT Code Information

83883 x 2

NY State Approved

Yes