CPT® Code 84126

The CPT® Code 84126 refers to a laboratory test that measures the levels of porphyrins in feces, providing quantitative results. Porphyrins are organic compounds that play a crucial role in the formation of heme, an essential component of hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood. The test is particularly significant in diagnosing various medical conditions. Elevated porphyrin levels in feces can indicate potential health issues such as lead poisoning, liver disease, or porphyria, which is an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of enzymes involved in the heme synthesis pathway. To confirm a diagnosis of porphyria, it is often necessary to conduct a comprehensive assessment that includes the determination of porphyrin levels in urine, feces, and blood. The test is typically performed on a random stool sample, which is analyzed using quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Additionally, the HemoQuant method may be utilized, which employs fluorescence quantitation for testing the stool sample, and this can also be reported under the same CPT® code 84126.