Specimen

Whole Blood

Collection Medium:

Minimum:

2 mL heparinized whole blood

Specimen
Instructions:

**Control must be provided.**
Specimen only stable for 24 hours.  Schedule collection by calling 
Commercial Mailouts, 319-356-8593 (Monday thru Friday 0800-1630).
Draw Monday-Thursday only and specimen must arrive in Specimen Control 
before 1400.

Analytic Time:

1 week

Reference Range:

Normal granulocytes, metabolically activated by phagocytosis, reduce 
nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) to blue formazan.  The NBT test provides 
rapid, relatively easy screening test for chronic granulomatous 
disease.  Over 95% of normal granulocytes, isolated from a drop of 
capillary blood by adherence to a coverslip, are converted to large 
blue NBT-positive cells when icubated with a solution of NBT.  Few 
NBT-positive cells can be detected in the granulocytes of patients with 
chronic granulomatous disease, whereas carriers will have approximately 
40%-70% NBT-positive cells.

Test
Limitations:

The drug D-penicillamine can give an abnormal NBT result that can mimic 
CGD.

Methodology:

Biochemical Assay

CPT Code:

86384