Porphyrins, Fractionated, Quantitative and Porphobilinogen, 24-Hour Urine

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB1231992, Beaker: PorPBGU, QUEST: 17198

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Please refer to the Specimen Collection Manual for instructions on 24-Hour Urine Collection:

• Urine 24-Hour Collection - Inpatient
• Urine 24-Hour Collection - Outpatient
• Urine 24-Hour Collection - Outreach

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: 24-hour urine sample with 5.0 g sodium carbonate preservative.

• Add 5.0 g of sodium carbonate (T272) as preservative at start of collection. This preservative is intended to achieve a pH of >7.
• Do not substitute sodium bicarbonate for sodium carbonate.
• Keep 24-hour urine specimen iced or refrigerated during collection.
• Include start and end dates and times for the collection period on the specimen container.
• Protect specimen from light during and after collection.

Urine Preservative Options
No Preservative	6N Hydrochloric Acid	Boric Acid (10.0 g)	Sodium Carbonate	50% Acetic Acid
Unacceptable	Unacceptable	Unacceptable	REQUIRED	Unacceptable

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Protect specimen from light. Maintain specimens refrigerated at (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Entire preserved 24-hour urine collection, refrigerated at (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Rejection Criteria

• Random urine specimens.
• Not protected from light.
• pH <4.0 (acidified urine).
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Protect specimen from light. Measure total volume of 24-hour urine specimen. Record total volume and collection start and end dates and times in the LIS system. Aliquot 4.0 mL from the well-mixed 24-hour urine collection and refrigerate at (2-8°C or 36-46) in a light protected leak proof container. (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): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 30 days

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 to Quest Diagnostics, Wood Dale, IL.

Performed

Information not available.

Reference Range

Porphyrins, Fractionated, Quantitative, 24-Hour Urine

Uroporphyrin I	4.1-22.4 mcg/24 h
Uroporphyrin III	0.7-7.4 mcg/24 h
Heptacarboxyporphyrin	≤3.3 mcg/24 h
Hexacarboxyporphyrin	≤10 mcg/24 h
Pentacarboxyporphyrin	≤4.6 mcg/24 h
Coproporphyrin I	7.1-48.7 mcg/24 h
Coproporphyrin III	11.0-148.5 mcg/24 h
Total Porphyrins	35.0-210.7 mcg/24 h

Porphobilinogen, Quantitative, 24-Hour Urine

Pediatric	Not established
Adult	<0.34 mg/24 h

Test Methodology

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Interpretation

Incudes Porphyrins, Fractionated, Quantitative, 24-Hour Urine (Coproporphyrin I, Coproporphyrin III,  Heptacarboxyporphyrin, Hexacarboxyporphyrin, Pentacarboxyporphyrin, Uroporphyrin I, Uroporphyrin III, Total Porphyrins), Porphobilinogen, Quantitative, 24-Hour Urine.

CPT Codes

84120, 84110.

Contacts

Last Updated

3/5/2026