Synonyms |
|
Total
testosterone
|
Clinical
Indications |
|
In
females, testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal
glands and is primarily measured to exclude androgen excess as
a result of adrenal or ovarian tumours. In males, testosterone
is usually measured as a part of the investigation of
impotence/infertility or suspected hypopituitarism. |
|
Request
Form |
|
Combined Pathology Blood form
(Yellow/Black or Blue for GP's)
|
Availability |
|
On
request.
|
Specific
Criteria |
|
Assessment
of androgen status.
|
Turnaround
Time |
|
Same Day (Monday to Friday)
|
Specimen |
|
Serum
|
Volume |
|
0.5 ml
|
Container |
|
Yellow top (SST) tube
|
Collection |
|
No specific collection
conditions
|
Causes
for Rejection |
|
Unlabelled sample
|
Reference
Range |
|
Female:
Less than 3.5 nmol/L. Male 8.0 - 28.0 nmol/L |
|
Interpretation |
|
Female:
Studies show that a total testosterone less than 5.0 nmol/L is
rarely associated with serious pathology. Levels above 5.0
nmol/L may indicate a serious ovarian or adrenal disorder, but
are also seen in some cases of PCOS. In such cases, raised androstenedione
and normal DHEA-S suggest
adrenal involvement, whereas increased androstenedione and
normal DHEA-S suggest ovarian pathology.
Male: Levels decrease with age and some normal men will have
levels at the lower end of the reference range. Patients with
testicular failure will have low testosterone levels with
raised LH and FSH levels. |