Turnaround times
The quoted turnaround time is from sample receipt in the laboratory, to results authorisation in the Laboratory Information Management system. The times do not include transport of specimen to the laboratory or the administrative process to print and post/email reports. Service users must allow for transport and reporting time when ordering tests.
Clinical background:
Troponin T (TnT) is a component of the contractile apparatus of the striated musculature. Although the function of TnT is the same in all striated muscles, TnT originating exclusively from the myocardium (cardiac TnT, molecular weight 39.7 kD) clearly differs from skeletal muscle TnT. As a result of its high tissue-specificity, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is a cardio-specific, highly sensitive marker for myocardial damage. Cardiac troponin T increases approx. 3-4 hours after myocardial infarction (AMI) and may persist up to 2 weeks thereafter. In contrast to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the diagnosis of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) heavily relies on cardiac troponin result. Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is an independent prognostic marker which can predict the near-, mid- and even long-term outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In addition, 4 multicenter trials involving more than 7000 patients have shown that cardiac troponin T is also useful to identify patients that benefit from anti-thrombotic therapy (GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, low molecular weight heparin).
Cardiac troponin is also the preferred marker of myocardial injury in the new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.
Specimen container paediatric:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Specimen container adult:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Minimum volume paediatric:
0.5 mL blood
Minimum volume adult:
1 mL blood
Sample stability:
Unseparated sample: day of collection
Separated sample:-
1 day at 15 to 25C
– 7 days at 2 to 8C
– 3 months at -20C
Interpretation:
Refer to attached documents
Reference ranges:
Adult: <12 ng/L
Other info:
Lithium heparin plasma samples also acceptable