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Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD) Immunoassay

CJD proteins: 14-3-3 beta, RT-QuIC, Total tau

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB6519, Beaker: XCJD, National Prion

Department

Send Outs

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: 5.0 mL Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in a clean plastic screw-cap tube. Avoid a bloody tap. (Minimum: 2.0 mL). Freeze sample immediately after collection, preferably within 30 minutes.

• Collect CSF using standard lumbar puncture procedure.
• Discard the first 2.0 mL of fluid or use it for other testing.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Freeze (-20°C/-4°F or below) immediately and maintain frozen prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 5.0 mL CSF frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Freeze (-20°C/-4°F or below) immediately prior to transport.

Transport: 5.0 mL CSF frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below). (Minimum: 2.0 mL) 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): unacceptable
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Indefinite

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent directly to National Prion Laboratory, Cleveland, OH.

Performed

Tuesday and Thursday.
Results available within 8-14 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Immunoassay and Real-Time Quaking-Inducing Conversion (RT-QuIC).

Interpretation

By report.

Clinical Utility

In patients with dementia, a positive immunoassay for the 14-3-3 brain protein in cerebrospinal fluid strongly supports a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This finding, however, does not support the use of the test in patients without clinically evident dementia.

CPT Codes

86317, 84182, 0035U.

Contacts

Last Updated

10/27/2023