What is a immunofixation test for?

The immunofixation blood test is used to identify proteins called immunoglobulins in blood. Too much of the same immunoglobulin is usually due to different types of blood cancer. Immunoglobulins are antibodies that help your body fight infection.

How is immunofixation performed?

Immunofixation consists of an electrophoresis phase and a fixation phase. In the former, the serum is applied to an agarose gel, and the negatively charged serum proteins move toward the cathode under the influence of an electric current. The speed of movement is dictated by their charge.

What does a negative immunofixation blood test mean?

A normal (negative) result means that the blood sample had normal types of immunoglobulins. The level of one immunoglobulin was not higher than any other.

Is immunofixation the same as electrophoresis?

What is an immunofixation (IFE) blood test? An immunofixation blood test, also known as protein electrophoresis, measures certain proteins in the blood. Proteins play many important roles, including providing energy for the body, rebuilding muscles, and supporting the immune system.

How do you read immunofixation results?

Immunofixation can either reveal a normal pattern or identify a monoclonal protein or a polyclonal immunoglobulin pattern. A normal result includes a darker immunoglobulin G (IgG) lane, a lighter immunoglobulin A (IgA), an absent immunoglobulin M (IgM), and a denser kappa compared to lambda lane, with ratio of 2:1.

Does immunofixation detect light chains?

Second order testing is performed by immunofixation analysis or immunoglobulin analysis by capillary zone electrophoresis with immunosubtraction to identify and characterize the heavy and light chains of monoclonal M-proteins.

What is immunofixation vs electrophoresis?

Urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP) is used to identify the presence of the Bence Jones protein in urine. Immunofixation is used to identify the subtype of protein (ie, IgA lambda).

When should I buy immunofixation?

Immunofixation of the urine and serum should be included in a battery of tests after 2-3 months following diagnosis of smoldering myeloma, then every 4-6 months for 1 year, and, finally, every 6-12 months if the results are stable.

Is SPEP the same as immunofixation?

In addition, immunofixation technique can also determine the particular isotype of the monoclonal protein. However, immunofixation technique cannot estimate the quantity of the M protein. In contrast, SPEP is capable of estimating the concentration of an M protein.

How long does immunofixation test take?

The Immunofixation (IFE) Serum Test detects and identifies monoclonal immunoglobulin gammopathies, which may indicate conditions such as multiple myeloma or Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. Preparation: Fasting for 10-12 hours required. Test Results: 2-3 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday or lab delays.

Why is immunofixation preferred over immunoelectrophoresis?

Immunofixation identified the proteins unambiguously in all six sera examined, whereas immunoelectrophoresis gave ambiguous results in one of the sera with high protein concentration and in three of the sera with low protein concentration. The superiority of immunofixation resulted from its greater resolution.

Is Spep same as immunofixation?