Ceruloplasmin Test
Reviewed
A ceruloplasmin test measures the amount of ceruloplasmin in your blood. Ceruloplasmin is a protein made by your liver that carries copper to parts of your body that need it. This test helps diagnose conditions related to having too much or too little copper, such as Wilson disease or Menkes syndrome. It is usually done together with blood and urine copper tests.
Preparation and collection
No special preparation needed.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- A ceruloplasmin test alone cannot diagnose any condition. Your provider will consider all test results, symptoms, medical history, and family history.
- Low ceruloplasmin levels may be normal in some people with Wilson disease.
- High ceruloplasmin levels can be caused by pregnancy, birth control pills, estrogen therapy, or other factors not related to disease.
What to do next
Your healthcare provider will interpret your ceruloplasmin level together with blood and urine copper tests and your overall health picture. Ask your provider what your results mean for you.