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HelpTest Code HCVVL Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Viral Load by PCR, Blood or Plasma
Performing Laboratory
Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc.
Specimen Requirements
Draw blood in 2 lavender-top (EDTA) tubes. Spin down within 4 hours of draw and send 8 mL of EDTA plasma (minimum 6 mL) Maintain at room temperature until plasma separation. If collected in dark lavender top tubes, specimen must be centrifuged and plasma removed and frozen within 4 hours of specimen collection.
Reference Values
| Result/Units | Interpretation | |
| Log IU/mL | IU/mL | |
| Not Detected | Detected | Target not detected |
| <1.08 | <12 | Detected-Below LLQ (lower limit of quantitation or LLoQ); HCV RNA can be detected but is not quantifiable. |
| 1.08 to 8.00 | 12 to 100,000,000 | A result between 1.08 and 8.00 Log IU/mL (12 to 100,000,000 IU/mL) indicates that HCV RNA was detected and the concentration falls between the LLQ and ULQ. |
| >8.00 | >100,000,000 | A result of >8.00 Log IU/mL (>100,000,000 IU/mL) indicates that target was detected and is greater than ULQ (upper limit quantitation) |
Methodology
RT-PCR
CPT Coding
87522
Specimen Transport Temperature
Frozen <24 hours OK/Frozen >24 hours OK
Day(s) Test Set Up
Specimen may be collected at any time. Test is run weekly, usually set up on Tuesday and read out Wednesday.