Specimen requirement

Adult patient (for female):

Clotted blood tube (Serum gel separator clot activator tube)

Minimum blood volume: 5 mL

Paediatric clotted blood tube

Number of vials: 1

Minimum blood volume: 0.8 mL

Authorisation code required

No (for female or unknown sex);
Yes (for male)

24 Hr available service

No

Method

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Reference interval

See androstenedione, testosterone for females and 17a-hydroxyprogesterone.

Clinical indication

Assessment of hyperandrogenism in females with clinical symptoms of hirsutism, virilisation and oligomenorrhoea. Evaluation of ambiguous genitalia, delayed or precocious puberty in paediatric patients. Diagnosis and monitoring treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Diagnosis of androgen-secreting tumor.

Result interpretation

See androstenedione, testosterone for females and 17a-hydroxyprogesterone.

Measurement of uncertainty

See table.

Frequency of measurement

Weekly