Clinical Laboratory Tests

Normal Values
This table lists reference values for the most common laboratory tests and is intended for
interpretation of the results as they are provided in the examinations. Note that all values are
provided in SI units. All values apply to adults.

Many important laboratory reference values are not listed here, because of the less frequent
use of these tests. Such values are inserted in parentheses following the result recorded in the
examination questions.

SERUM

SI Reference
Reference Range Intervals

General Chemistry:
Electrolytes

Sodium (Na+) 136–146 mEq/L 136–146 mmol/L

Potassium (K+) 3.5–5.0 mEq/L 3.5–5.0 mmol/L

Chloride (Cl-) 95–105 mEq/L 95–105 mmol/L

Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 22–28 mEq/L 22–28 mmol/L

Urea nitrogen 7–18 mg/dL 2.5–6.4 mmol/L

Creatinine 0.6–1.2 mg/dL 53–106 μmol/L

Glucose Fasting: 70–100 mg/dL 3.8–5.6 mmol/L

Random, non-fasting: <140 mg/ <7.77 mmol/L

dL

Calcium 8.4–10.2 mg/dL 2.1–2.6 mmol/L

Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5–2.0 mg/dL 0.75–1.0 mmol/L

Phosphorus (inorganic) 3.0–4.5 mg/dL 1.0–1.5 mmol/L

Hepatic:
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 10–40 U/L 10–40 U/L

Aspartate aminotransferase 12–38 U/L 12–38 U/L

(AST)

Alkaline phosphatase 25–100 U/L 25–100 U/L

Amylase 25–125 U/L 25–125 U/L

2–17 μmol/L // 0–5

Bilirubin, Total // Direct 0.1–1.0 mg/dL // 0.0–0.3 mg/dL μmol/L

Proteins, total 6.0–7.8 g/dL 60–78 g/L

Albumin 3.5–5.5 g/dL 35–55 g/L

Globulin 2.3–3.5 g/dL 23–35 g/L

Lipids:
Cholesterol

Total Normal: <200 mg/dL <5.2 mmol/L

High: >240 mg/dL >6.2 mmol/L

HDL 40–60 mg/dL 1.0–1.6 mmol/L

LDL <160 mg/dL <4.2 mmol/L

Triglycerides Normal: <150 mg/dL <1.70 mmol/L

Borderline: 151–199 mg/dL 1.71–2.25 mmol/L

Iron Studies:
Ferritin Male: 20–250 ng/mL 20–250 μg/L

Female: 10–120 ng/mL 10–120 μg/L

Iron Male: 65–175 µg/dL 11.6–31.3 μmol/L

Female: 50–170 μg/dL 9.0–30.4 μmol/L

Total iron-binding capacity 250–400 µg/dL 44.8–71.6 μmol/L

Transferrin 200–360 mg/dL 2.0–3.6 g/L

Endocrine:
Follicle-stimulating hormone Male: 4–25 mIU/mL 4–25 IU/L

Female: premenopause 4–30 4–30 IU/L

mIU/mL

midcycle peak 10–90 mIU/mL 10–90 IU/L

postmenopause 40–250 mIU/ 40–250 IU/L

mL

Luteinizing hormone Male: 6–23 mIU/mL 6–23 IU/L

Female: follicular phase 5–30 5–30 IU/L

mIU/mL

midcycle 75–150 mIU/mL 75–150 IU/L

postmenopause 30–200 mIU/ 30–200 IU/L

mL

Growth hormone - arginine Fasting: <5 ng/mL <5 μg/L

stimulation

Provocative stimuli: >7 ng/mL >7 μg/L

Prolactin (hPRL) Male: <17 ng/mL <17 μg/L

Female: <25 ng/mL <25 μg/L

Cortisol 0800 h: 5–23 μg/dL 138–635 nmol/L

1600 h: 3–15 μg/dL 82–413 nmol/L

Fraction of 0800 h:
2000 h: <50% of 0800 h <0.50

TSH 0.4–4.0 μU/mL 0.4–4.0 mIU/L

Triiodothyronine (T3) (RIA) 100–200 ng/dL 1.5–3.1 nmol/L

Triiodothyronine (T3) resin

25%–35% 0.25–0.35
uptake

Thyroxine (T4) 5–12 μg/dL 64–155 nmol/L

Free T4 0.9–1.7 ng/dL 12.0–21.9 pmol/L

8%–30% of administered dose/

Thyroidal iodine (123I) uptake 24 h 0.08–0.30/24 h
Intact PTH 10–60 pg/mL 10–60 ng/L

17-Hydroxycorticosteroids Male: 3.0–10.0 mg/24 h 8.2–27.6 μmol/24 h

Female: 2.0–8.0 mg/24 h 5.5–22.0 μmol/24 h

17-Ketosteroids, total Male: 8–20 mg/24 h 28–70 μmol/24 h

Female: 6–15 mg/24 h 21–52 μmol/24 h

Immunoglobulins:
IgA 76–390 mg/dL 0.76–3.90 g/L

IgE 0–380 IU/mL 0–380 kIU/L

IgG 650–1500 mg/dL 6.5–15.0 g/L

IgM 50–300 mg/dL 0.5–3.0 g/L

Other, serum:
Creatinine clearance Male: 97–137 mL/min 97–137 mL/min

Female: 88–128 mL/min 88–128 mL/min

Creatine kinase Male: 25–90 U/L 25–90 U/L

Female: 10–70 U/L 10–70 U/L

Lactate dehydrogenase 45–200 U/L 45–200 U/L

275–295 mOsmol/kg
Osmolality 275–295 mOsmol/kg H2O H 2O

Uric acid 3.0–8.2 mg/dL 0.18–0.48 mmol/L

GASES, ARTERIAL BLOOD (ROOM AIR)

Reference Range SI Reference Intervals

PO2 75–105 mm Hg 10.0–14.0 kPa

PCO2 33–45 mm Hg 4.4–5.9 kPa

pH 7.35–7.45 [H+] 36–44 nmol/L

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

Reference Range SI Reference Intervals

Cell count 0–5/mm3 0–5 × 106/L

Chloride 118–132 mEq/L 118–132 mmol/L

Gamma globulin 3%–12% total proteins 0.03–0.12

Glucose 40–70 mg/dL 2.2–3.9 mmol/L

Pressure 70–180 mm H2O 70–180 mm H2O

Proteins, total <40 mg/dL <0.40 g/L

HEMATOLOGIC

SI Reference
Reference Range Intervals

Complete Blood Count:

Hematocrit Male: 41%–53% 0.41–0.53

Female: 36%–46% 0.36–0.46

Hemoglobin, blood Male: 13.5–17.5 g/dL 135–175 g/L

Female: 12.0–16.0 g/dL 120–160 g/L

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) 25–35 pg/cell 0.39–0.54 fmol/cell

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin conc. 31%–36% Hb/cell 4.8–5.6 mmol Hb/L

(MCHC)

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 80–100 μm3 80–100 fL

Volume

Plasma Male: 25–43 mL/kg 0.025–0.043 L/kg

 Female: 28–45 mL/kg 0.028–0.045 L/kg

Red cell Male: 20–36 mL/kg 0.020–0.036 L/kg

Female: 19–31 mL/kg 0.019–0.031 L/kg

Leukocyte count (WBC) 4500–11,000/mm3 4.5–11.0 × 109/L

Neutrophils, segmented 54%–62% 0.54–0.62

Neutrophils, bands 3%–5% 0.03–0.05

Lymphocytes 25%–33% 0.25–0.33

Monocytes 3%–7% 0.03–0.07

Eosinophils 1%–3% 0.01–0.03

Basophils 0%–0.75% 0.00–0.0075

Platelet count 150,000–400,000/mm3 150–400 × 109/L

Coagulation:
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) 25–40 seconds 25–40 seconds
(activated)

Prothrombin time (PT) 11–15 seconds 11–15 seconds

D-Dimer ≤250 ng/mL ≤1.4 nmol/L

Other, Hematologic:
Reticulocyte count 0.5%–1.5% 0.005–0.015

Male: 4.3–5.9 million/

Erythrocyte count (RBC) 4.3–5.9 × 1012/L
mm3

Female: 3.5–5.5 million/

3.5–5.5 × 1012/L
mm3

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate Male: 0–15 mm/h 0–15 mm/h

(Westergren)

Female: 0–20 mm/h 0–20 mm/h

CD4+ T-lymphocyte count ≥500/mm3 ≥0.5 × 109/L

Troponin I ≤0.04 ng/mL ≤0.04 µg/L

Endocrine:
Hemoglobin A1c ≤6% ≤42 mmol/mol

URINE

Reference Range SI Reference Intervals

Calcium 100–300 mg/24 h 2.5–7.5 mmol/24 h

Osmolality 50–1200 mOsmol/kg H2O 50–1200 mOsmol/kg H2O

Oxalate 8–40 μg/mL 90–445 μmol/L

Proteins, total <150 mg/24 h <0.15 g/24 h

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)

Reference Range SI Reference Intervals

Adult: 19–25 kg/m2