Clinical Laboratory Tests – Reference Values
This table lists reference ranges (expressed in both SI units and traditional units) for the most common laboratory tests and is intended for interpretation of the results as they are provided in the examinations. Most of the values apply to adults and where they differ for children it will be indicated. Many important laboratory reference values are not listed here, because of the less frequent use of these tests. Such values are inserted parenthetically following the result recorded in the examination question.
Tests |
SI Units |
Traditional Units |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) | 25-40 sec | 25-40 sec |
| Albumin (serum) | 35-50 g/L | 3.5-5.0 g/dL |
| Amylase (serum) | 25-125 IU/L | 25-125 U/L |
| Bicarbonate (HCO3) (serum) | 23-29 mmol/L | 23-29 mEq/L |
| Bilirubin (serum)* Neonates (conjugated) | 0-10 μmol/L | 0-0.6 mg/dL |
| (total) | 1.7-180 μmol/L | 1.0-10.5 mg/dL |
| Adults (conjugated) | 0-5 μmol/L | 0-0.3 mg/dL |
| (total) | 3-22 μmol/L | 0.2-1.3 mg/dL |
| Bleeding time (Ivy) | < 5 min | < 5 min |
| Calcium (serum)** | ||
| Total | 2.10-2.50 mmol/L | 8.4-10.6 mg/dL |
| Ionized | 1.15-1.35 mmol/L | 4.6-5.1 mg/dL |
| Calcium (urine) | < 6.2 mmol/d | < 250 mg/24h |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (serum) | < 3.0 µg/L | < 3.0 ng/mL |
| CO2 (total)** | 22-29 mmol/L | 22-29 mEq/L |
| Chloride (serum) | 96-106 mmol/L | 96-106 mEq/L |
| Chloride (urine) Infant | 2-10 mmol/d | 2-10 mEq/24h |
| Child | 14-50 mmol/d | 14-50 mEq/24h |
| Adults | 110-250 mmol/d | 110-250 mEq/24h |
| Cholesterol (serum)** | < 5.2 mmol/L | < 200 mg/dL |
| Cortisol (plasma) 8 AM | 170-635 nmol/L | 6-23 μg/dL |
| 4 PM | 82-413 nmol/L | 3-15 μg/dL |
| Creatinine (serum) | 50-110 μmol/L | 0.6-1.2 mg/dL |
| Creatinine (urine) Males | 8.8-17.6 mmol/d | 1.0-2.0 g/24h |
| Females | 7.0-15.8 mmol/d | 0.8-1.8 g/24h |
| Creatine kinase (CK, CPK) – Males (race dependent) | 20-215 IU/L | 20-215 U/L |
| Females (race dependent) | 20-160 IU/L | 20-160 U/L |
| Erythrocytes (RBCs) – Children** | 4.5-5.1 x 1012/L | 4.5-5.1 million/mm3 |
| Males | 4.6-6.2 x 1012/L | 4.6-6.2 million/mm3 |
| Females | 4.2-5.4 x 1012/L | 4.2-5.4 million/mm3 |
| Ferritin (serum) | 20-200 μg/L | 20-200 ng/mL |
| Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (plasma) | ||
| Males | 1-10 IU/L | 1-10 mU/mL |
| Females, premenopausal | 20-50 IU/L | 20-50 mU/mL |
| Females, postmenopausal | 40-250 IU/L | 40-250 mU/mL |
| Glucose (fasting) (plasma or serum) | 3.9-6.1 mmol/L | 70-110 mg/dL |
| Growth hormone (hGH) (serum, adult) fasting | 0-10 μg/L | 0-10 ng/mL |
| Hematocrit – Newborn | 0.49-0.54 | 49-54% |
| Children** | 0.35-0.49 | 35-49% |
| Males | 0.40-0.54 | 40-54% |
| Females | 0.37-0.47 | 37-47% |
| Hemoglobin (Hb) – Newborn | 165-195 g/L | 16.5-19.5 g/dL |
| Children** | 112-165 g/L | 11.2-16.5 g/dL |
| Males | 140-180 g/L | 14.0-18.0 g/dL |
| Females | 120-160 g/L | 12.0-16.0 g/dL |
| High density lipoproteins (HDL) (recommended range) | > 0.91 mmol/L | > 35 mg/dL |
| INR | 0.9-1.1 | 0.9-1.1 |
| Iron (serum) – Males | 13-31 μmol/L | 75-175 μg/dL |
| Females | 5-29 μmol/L | 28-162 μg/dL |
| Iron binding capacity (serum) (TIBC) | 45-73 μmol/L | 250-410 μg/dL |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (serum) – Adult | 45-90 IU/L | 45-90 U/L |
| Child | 60-170 IU/L | 60-170 U/L |
| > 60 years old | 55-100 IU/L | 55-100 U/L |
*Test values are method dependent
**Test values vary with age
***Test values are diet-dependent
Tests |
SI Units |
Traditional Units |
| Leukocytes – Total | 3.5-12.0 x 109/L | 3500-12,000/mm3 |
| Differential: Neutrophils | 3000-5800 x 106/L | 3000-5800/mm3 |
| Lymphocytes | 1500-3000 x 106/L | 1500-3000/mm3 |
| Monocytes | 300-500 x 106/L | 300-500/mm3 |
| Eosinophils | 50-250 x 106/L | 50-250/mm3 |
| Basophils | 15-50 x 106/L | 15-50/mm3 |
| Low density lipoproteins (LDL) (recommended range) | < 3.4 mmol/L | < 130 mg/dL |
| Luteinizing hormone (LH) (serum) – Males | 1-9 IU/L | 1-9 IU/L |
| Females (follicular) | 2-10 IU/L | 2-10 IU/L |
| (mid-cycle) | 15-65 IU/L | 15-65 IU/L |
| (luteal) | 1-12 IU/L | 1-12 IU/L |
| (postmenopausal) | 12-65 IU/L | 12-65 IU/L |
| Magnesium (serum) | 0.65-1.05 mmol/L | 1.3-2.1 mg/dL |
| Magnesium (urine) | 3.0-4.3 mmol/d | 6.0-8.5 mEq/24h |
| Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) | 76-100 fL | 76-100 µm3 |
| Osmolality (serum) | 285-295 mmol/kg | 285-295 mOsm/kg |
| Osmolality (urine) | 38-1400 mmol/kg | 38-1400 mOsm/kg |
| Oxygen (arterial saturation) | 94-99% | 94-99% |
| Parathyroid hormone (PTH) | 1.4-6.8 pmol/L | 13.2-64.1 pg/mL |
| Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) | See aPTT | See aPTT |
| pCO2 (arterial) | 35-45 mm Hg | 35-45 mm Hg |
| pH (arterial) | 7.35-7.45 | 7.35-7.45 |
| Phosphatase, alkaline (serum) | 40-160 IU/L | 40-160 U/L |
| Phosphate – Adults | 1.0-1.5 mmol/L | 3.0-4.5 mg/dL |
| Children | 1.3-2.3 mmol/L | 4.0-7.0 mg/dL |
| Platelet count | 150-400 x 109/L | 150,000-400,000/mm3 |
| pO2 (arterial) | 80-100 mm Hg | 80-100 mm Hg |
| Potassium (serum) – Newborn | 3.7-5.9 mmol/L | 3.7-5.9 mEq/L |
| Infant | 4.1-5.3 mmol/L | 4.1-5.3 mEq/L |
| Child | 3.4-4.7 mmol/L | 3.4-4.7 mEq/L |
| Adult | 3.5-5.1 mmol/L | 3.5-5.1 mEq/L |
| Potassium (urine)*** | 25-125 mmol/d | 25-125 mEq/24h |
| Progesterone (serum) (adult) – Males | 0.0-1.3 nmol/L | 0.0-0.4 ng/mL |
| Females (follicular) | 0.3-4.8 nmol/L | 0.1-1.5 ng/mL |
| (luteal) | 8.0-89.0 nmol/L | 2.5-28.0 ng/mL |
| Prolactin (serum) – Males | 1-20 μg/L | 1-20 ng/mL |
| Females | 1-25 μg/L | 1-25 ng/mL |
| Prostate specific antigen (PSA) | 0-4.0 µg/L | 0-4.0 ng/mL |
| Protein (serum) – Total | 60-80 g/L | 6.0-8.0 g/dL |
| Albumin | 35-55 g/L | 3.5-5.5 g/dL |
| Protein (urine) | 10-150 mg/d | 10-150 mg/24h |
| Prothrombin time (PT) | 9-12 sec | 9-12 sec |
| Reticulocytes | 25-75 x 109/L | 25,000-75,000/mm3 |
| Sedimentation rate (ESR) | 0-15 mm/h | 0-15 mm/h |
| Sodium (serum or plasma) | 135-145 mmol/L | 135-145 mEq/L |
| Sodium (urine)*** | 40-220 mmol/d | 40-220 mEq/24h |
| Specific gravity | 1.003-1.030 | 1.003-1.030 |
| Sperm count | 20-150 x 106/mL | 20,000-150,000/mm3 |
| Testosterone – Males | 9.5-30 nmol/L | 275-875 ng/dL |
| Females | 0.8-2.6 nmol/L | 23-75 ng/dL |
| Pregnant females | 1.3-6.6 nmol/L | 38-190 ng/dL |
| Thrombin time (plasma) | < 17 sec | < 17 sec |
| Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (serum) – Adults | 0.4-4.8 mIU/L | 0.4-4.8 mIU/L |
| -Term infants: (0-1 day) | 1-39 mIU/L | 1-39 mIU/L |
| (1-4 days) | 1-17 mIU/L | 1-17 mIU/L |
| (2-20 weeks) | 1.7-9.1 mIU/L | 1.7-9.1 mIU/L |
| (21 weeks to 20 years) | 0.7-6.4 mIU/L | 0.7-6.4 mIU/L |
| Thyroxine, total (T4) (serum)** | 66-155 nmol/L | 5-12 μg/dL |
| Thyroxine, free (FT4) (serum)** | 13-27 pmol/L | 1.0-2.1 ng/dL |
| Transaminase (serum) — AST (SGOT) | 7-40 IU/L | 7-40 mU/mL |
| ALT (SGPT) | 5-35 IU/L | 5-35 mU/mL |
| Triiodothyronine, total (T3) (serum) | 1.1-2.9 nmol/L | 70-190 ng/dL |
| Triiodothyronine, free (FT3) (serum) | 3.5-6.5 pmol/L | 2.4-5.0 pg/mL |
| Triglycerides | 0.45-1.71 mmol/L | 40-150 mg/dL |
| Urea (plasma or serum) | 2.9-8.2 mmol/L | see Urea nitrogen |
| Urea nitrogen (BUN) (plasma or serum) | see Urea | 8-23 mg/dL |
| Uric acid (serum) (enzymatic) | 120-420 μmol/L | 2.0-7.0 mg/dL |
*Test values are method dependent
**Test values vary with age
***Test values are diet-dependent
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