MyMedLab

Requires an 8 HOUR FAST BEFORE testing.



This is a group of 4 tests that measure several iron levels in the bloodstream. It includes the following tests. Click the test name for more information.

Iron Level (Fe)
Percent Saturation (Tsat %)
Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)
Ferritin

Serum iron, the type being tested here is, really transferrin-associated ferric iron. About 30% of the iron in the body is stored (as ferritin) in the liver, bone marrow, and spleen. A small percentage of the body's iron is in transport between various parts of the body in the bloodstream. Normally about 30% of the available sites are filled. This is called the percent transferrin saturation.

By completely saturating all the available binding sites, it is possible to measure the total iron binding capacity (TIBC). A blood test that measures the total iron binding capacity (TIBC) as an indirect measure of transferrin.

Ferritin, a protein in the blood that is responsible for storing iron in the body. Because there is a direct proportion between the two, Ferritin is used to identify Hemochromatosis or "Iron Overload" in patients even before symptoms arise. When this condition occurs the body begins to store excessive amounts of iron in the body tissues.