Reference Intervals

Units: umol/L

Reference ranges:

0 - 2 months	0.35-0.94
2 mths - 1 year	0.10-0.46
1 - 3 years	0.10-0.42
3 - 10 years	0.14-0.45
10 - 18 years	0.15-0.50
Adult	0.15-0.50

Uncertainty of Measurement: 20%

This test is routinely performed on all requests for serum iron, subject to sufficient specimen being available.

Turnaround Time: Within 3 hours
Diagnostic Use and Interpretation

This is a better index of iron availability to tissues than serum iron alone.

Iron saturation is increased in haemochromatosis or iron overload from any cause, and in acute iron poisoning.

Iron saturation is decreased in iron deficiency, and in anaemia associated with chronic disorders (where there may be functional iron deficiency).

See also:

• Iron Studies
• Ferritin
• Iron - serum
• Iron Binding Capacity - Total (TIBC)
• Soluble Transferrin Receptors (sTfR)
• Haemochromatosis - Molecular Studies

Contact Information

Emails to chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist.

If the query concerns a specific patient please include the NHI number in your email.

If email is not a suitable option, please contact the on-call chemical pathologist via Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995).

Individual chemical pathologists may be contacted but will not be available at all times.

After-hours : contact Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995) or hospital operator for on duty staff after hours.

Dr Samarina Musaad (Clinical Lead) : SamarinaM@adhb.govt.nz ext. 22402

Dr Cam Kyle: CampbellK@adhb.govt.nz ext 22052

Dr Weldon Chiu: WeldonC@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Dr Campbell Heron: CHeron@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Dr Sakunthala Jayasinghe: Sakunthala@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Last updated at 15:26:00 06/01/2025