Lipids, Panel

Tube Type

Includes Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and calculated LDL Tests.

Test ID

LAB18

EPIC ORDER

LIPID PANEL

CPT Code(s)

80061

Group/Individual Test

Group

Laboratory

Core

Tube Station

30

Specimen

Routine:

2 mL blood/green lithium heparin gel tube. Also acceptable gold SST or red plain tube; See important comments

Micro:

500 µL blood/mint green top bullet/gold top/red top

Stability

Unspun:

6 hours

Spun/Separated,
Room Temp:

8 hours

Spun/Separated,
Refrigerated:

2 days

Spun/Separated,
Frozen:

30 days

Availability

Routine:

24 hrs/day

STAT:

Yes

Turnaround Time

Routine:

2 hours

STAT:

1 hour

Reference Range

Lipid Panel Reference Intervals

	ADULTS (>18 years)		PEDIATRICS (≤18 years)
Lipid Panel Components	Reference value, (mg/dL^a)	Population percentile^b	Reference value, (mg/dL^a)	Population percentile^b	Reporting Comments
Total Cholesterol	<200	50^th	<170	75^th
HDL Cholesterol	Female>50 Male >40	50^th	>45	25th	<15 mg/dL refer to lipid specialist^c
LDL-Cholesterol (calc) modified Sampson Equation	<100	50^th	<120	90^th	>190 consider familial hypercholesterolemia^c
Non-HDL Cholesterol (calc)	<130	50^th	<110	75^th	>220 consider inherited hyperlipidemia^c
Triglycerides	<150	50^th	<2 yrs: undefined 2-9 yrs:<75 10-18 yrs: <90	90^th	>190 consider familial hypercholesterolemia^c

^aReference values established by NCEP and carried forward by US multi-society guidelines.

^bPercentiles based on 2017 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)data.

^cHDL 2.5^thpercentile, non-HDLC 95^th percentile, LDLC 95^thpercentile.

Reference ranges effective 4/22/2025

Comments

If Triglycerides >800mg/dL, LDLc will not be reported. The provider may add a Direct LDL Cholesterol to the existing specimen in EPIC within three days of collection.

ADLM guidance document on the measurement and reporting of lipids and lipoproteins

Reviewed by J. Carr on January 02, 2026

UNC Hospitals
McLendon Clinical Laboratories
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514