Heptimax blood test

[GINGERPAL]

I am starting incevik treatment this week.
My doctor ordered a base line viral load and the test he ordered is  Heptimax (quantitative).
I googled this and one site said the test range is   “broad range of quantitative test results:  5 iu/ml to 50 mm iu/ml”  .
Another site came up with   “Heptimax® HCV RNA:  Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by quantitative transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) for samples with <43 IU/mL HCV RNA.Linear range: 5 to 69,000,000 IU/ml”.  
Is this all the same?   If so, the lowest detection will be down to 5 iu?    I just want to make sure that I am getting a sensitive test because this will be the same vl test that my doctor will have done while I am treating
Thanks.....Ginger.

[GINGERPAL]

thanks lynda.  i think my doctor just does the same blood test  - whether it is before tx or during tx.  

[lynda607]

Heptimax is a very sensitive test but it's not really necessary for an initial viral load count.  IMO, under 43 IU/mL RT-PCR would have been sufficient.  LabCorp RT-PCR level of detection goes down to 7.1 IU/mL which is a fairly sensitive test.  The test can't quantify any HCV RNA between 7.1 and 42 but it will detect it.

[GINGERPAL]

thanks flcyclist.   now that the treatment time is almost here, i guess i am getting a bit nervous about things.  thanks for confirming ....it make me feel better.  ginger.

[flcyclist]

As you mentioned, the Heptimax is a two part test.  The first is the RT-PCR that has a sensitivity of (<43IU/mL).  If lower than 43, then the TMA will be run which has the detection limit of 5IU/mL.   Your doctor made a good choice.  Many doc will just do the RT-PCR as the standard test.