Ceruloplasmin Test
A ceruloplasmin test measures ceruloplasmin, a protein made by the liver that carries most of the copper circulating in the blood. Clinicians often use it as part of an evaluation of how the body handles copper.
About this test
Ceruloplasmin is a copper-containing protein produced by the liver. Copper is a trace mineral the body needs in small amounts for many everyday processes, and most of the copper traveling in the bloodstream is bound to ceruloplasmin.
The test is done with a simple blood draw at a patient service center. A phlebotomist collects a sample from a vein, usually in the arm, and sends it to the laboratory.
Who might consider this test?
- Because ceruloplasmin ties together the liver and copper metabolism, it can be ordered when questions arise about either.
- Someone being evaluated for signs that a clinician links to copper balance, or being followed within a wider workup, may see it included.
Test details
| Quest code | 326 |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Immunoturbidimetric |
| Sample type | 1 mL serum |
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
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Additional details
What this test looks at
The ceruloplasmin result reflects the amount of this copper-carrying protein in the blood. Since the liver produces ceruloplasmin and most circulating copper rides along with it, the measurement connects two things at once: the liver's output of the protein and the broader handling of copper. That dual role is what makes ceruloplasmin a useful piece within a copper-focused evaluation.
It helps to remember what the protein represents. Ceruloplasmin is one part of a larger copper system, so a clinician generally reads it together with other copper-related measurements rather than drawing conclusions from it alone.
How it's often used alongside other tests
Ceruloplasmin is frequently paired with a blood copper measurement, and sometimes with tests that look at copper in the urine, so a clinician can compare the pieces of the picture. It may also be considered next to liver markers when the liver's role is part of the question. Read together, these results give a clinician a fuller view of copper handling than ceruloplasmin can provide on its own.
Order online and a physician order is included — no doctor's visit and no insurance needed. Your sample is collected at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center.
Laboratory results should always be interpreted by a licensed clinician who knows your health history. This page is information about a test, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a ceruloplasmin test measure?
It measures ceruloplasmin, a protein made by the liver that carries most of the copper circulating in the blood. The result offers a window into how the body handles copper.
How is ceruloplasmin related to copper?
Most of the copper traveling in the bloodstream is bound to ceruloplasmin. Because the liver both makes the protein and helps manage copper, the measurement connects the two.
Why might someone consider this test?
Clinicians often order it when exploring how the body manages copper, frequently alongside a copper measurement as part of a broader evaluation.
How is the sample collected?
Through a routine blood draw at a patient service center. A phlebotomist takes a small sample from a vein in the arm and sends it to the laboratory.
Is ceruloplasmin usually tested with other markers?
Often, yes. It is commonly paired with a blood copper measurement, and sometimes urine copper testing, so a clinician can compare the pieces of the copper picture.
What does a Ceruloplasmin test cost without insurance?
$29. Celio Health's price is a flat cash price and insurance is never billed: the required physician's order is included.