Test Catalog

Test Id : TTSC

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Thrombin Time (Bovine), Plasma

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Overview

Test Catalog

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Detecting or excluding the presence of heparin or heparin-like anticoagulants (which act by enhancing antithrombin's inhibition of thrombin and other procoagulant enzymes) when used in conjunction with the reptilase time (RT) in evaluating unexplained prolonged clotting times

 

Identifying the cause of a prolonged prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, or dilute Russell viper venom time when used in conjunction with the RT and fibrinogen assay

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Optical Clot-Based

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

Thrombin Time (Bovine), P

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

TT (Thrombin Time)

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Plasma Na Cit

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Specimen Type: Platelet-poor plasma

Patient Preparation: Fasting preferred

Collection Container/Tube: Light-blue top (3.2% sodium citrate)

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. For complete instructions, see Coagulation Guidelines for Specimen Handling and Processing.

2. Centrifuge, transfer all plasma into a plastic vial, and centrifuge plasma again.

3. Aliquot plasma into a separate plastic vial leaving 0.25 mL in the bottom of centrifuged vial.

4. Freeze plasma immediately (no longer than 4 hours after collection) at -20 degrees C or, ideally,  -40 degrees C or below.

Additional Information:

1. Double-centrifuged specimen is critical for accurate results as platelet contamination may cause spurious results.

2. Each coagulation assay requested should have its own vial.

Special Instructions
Library of PDFs including pertinent information and forms related to the test

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Coagulation Test Request (T753) with the specimen.

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.

0.5 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia Reject
Gross icterus Reject

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Plasma Na Cit Frozen 14 days

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Detecting or excluding the presence of heparin or heparin-like anticoagulants (which act by enhancing antithrombin's inhibition of thrombin and other procoagulant enzymes) when used in conjunction with the reptilase time (RT) in evaluating unexplained prolonged clotting times

 

Identifying the cause of a prolonged prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, or dilute Russell viper venom time when used in conjunction with the RT and fibrinogen assay

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Prolonged clotting times may be associated with a wide variety of coagulation abnormalities including:

-Deficiency or functional abnormality (congenital or acquired) of many of the coagulation proteins

-Deficiency or functional abnormality of platelets

-Specific factor inhibitors

-Acute disseminated intravascular coagulation

-Exogenous anticoagulants (eg, heparin, warfarin)

 

The prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time are first-order tests for coagulation abnormalities and are prolonged in many disorders. A battery of coagulation tests is often required to determine the cause of prolonged clotting times.

 

Thrombin catalyzes the transformation of fibrinogen to fibrin (by cleaving fibrinopeptides A and B), which is followed by polymerization of fibrin to form a clot. The thrombin time (TT) test measures the time of clot formation when thrombin is added to citrated plasma. The phospholipid-dependent procoagulant enzyme cascades (intrinsic, extrinsic, and "common" pathway) are bypassed by the addition of exogenous thrombin. Therefore, the TT mainly reflects functions and interactions of solution-phase exogenous thrombin and endogenous fibrinogen.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

15.8-24.9 seconds

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Prolongation of the thrombin time (TT) is consistent with the presence of heparin-like anticoagulants, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, fibrin degradation products, and antibody inhibitors of thrombin. An immeasurably prolonged TT is usually the result of heparin in the specimen or, rarely, the presence of thrombin antibodies or afibrinogenemia.

 

When the TT test is performed with diluted bovine thrombin to achieve a normal plasma clotting time of about 20 seconds, the TT is capable of detecting unfractionated heparin at a concentration of 0.05 units/mL of heparin.

 

Other tests useful in interpreting the significance of prolongation of the TT include: reptilase time (RT), human thrombin time, clottable fibrinogen assay, and the fibrin D-dimer assay. These tests are available as components of coagulation profile test panels. As seen in the following table, RT can help distinguish among the various causes of a prolonged TT.

 

Thrombin time

Reptilase time

Causes

Remarks

Prolonged

Prolonged

Hypo- or afibrinogenemia

Ascertain by determination of fibrinogen

Prolonged

Prolonged

Dysfibrinogenemia

Ascertain by specific assay

Prolonged

Normal

Heparin or inhibitor of thrombin

Differentiate by human TT and/or heparin assays

Prolonged

Prolonged

Fibrin(ogen) split products (FSP)

Ascertain by FSP or D-dimer assay

 

Note: Rare congenital dysfibrinogenemias associated with venous thromboembolism (eg, fibrinogen Bordeaux) may demonstrate normal thrombin and reptilase times and normal Clauss fibrinogen levels.

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

The thrombin time test, by itself, has little diagnostic value and should be interpreted within the context of additional coagulation assays (eg, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and reptilase time).

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. Koepke JA: Coagulation testing systems. In: Practical Laboratory Hematology. Churchill Livingston; 1991

2. Corriveau DM, Fritsma G: Hemostasis and Thrombosis in the Clinical Laboratory. JB Lippincott Company; 1988

3. Galanakis DK: Plasma thrombin time and related tests. In: Williams Hematology. 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Book Company; 1995:L91-L93

4. Greaves M, Preston FE: Approach to the bleeding patient. In: Colman RW, Hirsh J, Marder VJ, et al. eds. Hemostasis and Thrombosis: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice. 4th ed. JB Lippincott Company; 2001:783-837

5. Turgeon TL, ed: Clinical Hematology. 6th ed. Wolkers Kluer and Co; 2018

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

The thrombin time (TT) assay is performed on the Instrumentation Laboratory ACL TOP. Patient plasma is combined with a bovine thrombin reagent containing bovine albumin, calcium chloride, and buffer immediately triggering the coagulation process in the mixture. Time to clot formation is measured optically using a wavelength of 405 nm.(Package insert: HemosIL Thrombin Time, IL TOP Operators Manual. Instrumentation Laboratory Company; 06/2017)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Saturday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

1 to 4 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

7 days

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

85670

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
TTSC Thrombin Time (Bovine), P 46717-5
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
TTSC Thrombin Time (Bovine), P 46717-5

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports