Procalcitonin is a peptide precursor of the hormone calcitonin that rises rapidly in response to bacterial infections. It is used to help distinguish bacterial infections from other causes of inflamm…
Category: Inflammation & Immune
Also known as: procalcitonin, pct, pro-calcitonin
Reference range: 0–0.1 ng/mL (Source: ABIM)
Standard unit: ng/mL
High values may indicate
High procalcitonin levels strongly suggest bacterial infection or sepsis. Levels may also rise with severe trauma, major surgery, or certain cancers (medullary thyroid carcinoma).
Low values may indicate
Low procalcitonin levels suggest that a bacterial infection is unlikely and that symptoms may be caused by a viral infection or non-infectious inflammation.