ACTH
This test measures the level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in a sample of your blood. A hormone is a chemical messenger in your bloodstream that controls the actions of certain cells or organs. ACTH tells your adrenal glands, two small glands that sit above your kidneys, to make another hormone called cortisol.
An ACTH test is used to help diagnose and monitor conditions that affect cortisol levels. These conditions include disorders of the pituitary and adrenal glands.
Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
Normal range
No published reference range from a named lab yet.
What an abnormal result can be associated with
- A high result
- Increased circulating ACTH level
- A low result
- Decreased circulating ACTH concentration
Associations from LOINC2HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology). This is reference information, not a diagnosis — only a clinician can interpret your result in context.
Details
- Sample
- Serum or plasma · LOINC
- Listed under
- Addison Disease · Adrenal Gland Cancer · Cushing's Syndrome · Hormones · Pituitary Disorders · Pituitary Tumors
- Code
- LOINC 2141-0 · pg/mL
- Also known as
- Corticotropin, Tumor marker, ACTH, Cortrosyn