Evaluation of a packaged kit assay of serum ferritin and application to clinical diagnosis of selected anemias

The reliability of a radioimmunometric assay of serum ferritin concentration by a packaged kit was evaluated. In addition, application of the serum ferritin assay to the clinical evaluation of selected anemias was assessed. When appropriate serum diluations were utilized, this method was sufficiently reproducible and reliable for application to the clinical laboratory. Serum ferritin was found to be a valuable tool in the differential diagnosis of anemia accompanied by hypoferremia, although iron depletion coexisting with either the anemia of chronic disease or active hepatocellular disease may not be clearly appreciated. The primary advantage of the determination was to help characterize the iron status of the patient with a hypochromic microcytic anemia or hypoferremia who would ordinarily require a bone-marrow examination for iron stores.