Iron tests explained

Iron tests
Purpose:	evaluate iron level

Iron tests are groups of clinical chemistry laboratory blood tests that are used to evaluate body iron stores or the iron level in blood serum.

Other terms used for the same tests are iron panel, iron profile, iron indices, iron status or iron studies.

Tests

• Serum iron
• Ferritin
• Transferrin
• Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
• Transferrin saturation (Iron saturation of transferrin)
• Unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC)
• Transferrin receptor (TfR)

Related tests

• Complete blood count (CBC), especially:
  • Hemoglobin, EVF or total red blood cells (RBC count)
  • Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
  • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) or MCHC

Diagnosis

• = or normal.

See also

• Reference ranges for blood tests#Ions and trace metals, for reference ranges for tests above

References

• Iron Level Blood Test - Personal Home Medical Tests - testnord.co.uk