Estrone Test
An estrone test measures estrone, one of the body's estrogens. Clinicians sometimes use it, on its own or alongside other estrogens, to help evaluate estrogen activity.
About this test
Estrone is one of the three main estrogens the body produces, along with estradiol and estriol. It is made in the ovaries and in other tissues, and it becomes a relatively larger part of the estrogen picture during and after the menopausal transition, when ovarian output of estradiol changes.
The estrone test is performed with a routine blood draw at a patient service center, where a phlebotomist collects a sample from a vein in the arm and sends it to the laboratory. As with other estrogens, estrone shifts across the menstrual cycle and across life stages, so a clinician often reviews a result with timing and context in mind.
Who might consider this test?
- It may be chosen alongside estradiol so the two can be compared, or as part of a broader hormonal review.
- The interest is usually in a more complete view of the estrogen family rather than estrone in isolation.
Test details
| Quest code | 23244 |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry |
| Sample type | 0.5 mL serum |
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
Related tests and panels
Measures Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), a hormone associated with ovarian reserve.
Quest resources
Additional details
Where estrone fits among the estrogens
Estradiol is generally the most active estrogen during the reproductive years, while estrone tends to become a comparatively larger contributor later in life. Measuring estrone gives a clinician information about a different member of the estrogen family, which can add nuance to a hormonal review. It describes one thread of the estrogen story rather than the whole of it.
As with any hormone, an estrone result is a snapshot taken at one moment. Levels vary with the menstrual cycle and life stage, so a clinician interprets the value in the context of when it was drawn and what else is known rather than reading it in isolation.
How it is often used with other markers
Estrone is frequently considered next to estradiol so a clinician can compare two estrogens, and it may sit within a wider hormonal review that includes pituitary signals such as FSH. Read together, these markers describe how the different pieces of the estrogen system relate to one another, which usually tells a clinician more than any single estrogen measured alone.
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 an estrone test measure?
It measures estrone, one of the body's three main estrogens, in the blood. Clinicians sometimes use it to help evaluate estrogen activity, often alongside other estrogens.
How is estrone different from estradiol?
Both are estrogens, but estradiol is generally the most active during the reproductive years, while estrone tends to become a comparatively larger contributor later in life. Clinicians may compare the two.
Why might estrone be measured with other estrogens?
Looking at estrone alongside estradiol lets a clinician compare two members of the estrogen family, which can add nuance that a single estrogen measured alone does not provide.
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.
Does timing affect an estrone result?
It can. Estrone changes across the menstrual cycle and with life stage, so a clinician often takes the timing of the draw into account when reviewing the result.
Can I get the Estrone test without a doctor's visit or insurance?
Yes. The $99 cash price includes an independent physician's order, so no referral is needed, and insurance is never involved.