Iron tests

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 or iron status.

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

IRON PANEL	Serum iron	Transferrin and TIBC	Transferrin saturation	Ferritin	Transferrin receptor	Related tests
						Hb	MCV
Iron deficiency anemia
Iron overload (hemochromatosis)					*	Normal
Anemia of chronic disease				*	*
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT)					Normal
Thalassemia
Sideroblastic anemia					*
Megaloblastic anemia
Hemolytic anemia	*	*	*	*
Pregnancy or use of hormonal contraception	Normal

* = or normal.