Myelopathy, Autoimmune/Paraneoplastic Evaluation, Serum (Sendout)

Useful For: Evaluating patients with suspected autoimmune myelopathy, myelitis, paraneoplastic myelopathy using serum specimens. Reflex testing may be performed at additional charge.

• Mayo Autoimmune/Paraneoplastic Myelopathy Evaluation Algorithm - Serum

Patient Preparation:

• For optimal antibody detection, specimen collection is recommended prior to initiation of immunosuppressant medication or intravenous immunoglobulin treatment.
• This test should not be requested in patients who have recently received radioisotopes, therapeutically or diagnostically, because of potential assay interference. The specific waiting period before specimen collection will depend on the isotope administered, the dose given, and the clearance rate in the individual patient. Specimens will be screened for radioactivity prior to analysis. Radioactive specimens received in the laboratory will be held 1 week and assayed if sufficiently decayed or canceled if radioactivity remains.

Ordering Requirements: Laboratory Medicine Resident (LMR) approval is required.