Aa
needing quick answer
I know this has come up before. What is the best quest diagnostics HCV RNA test post treatment for detectable /undetectable status. The Hepatitis C Viral Qualitative TMA#87521 or the Hepatitis c Viral Qualitative PCR#34024. Im pretty sure those are the correct numbers but they have more than one number associated with their tests. .
Long Story short
I had my post 6 mo HCV test done and it was neg so I know that I am considered cured. I have the opportunity to get in another peace of mind test before the end of the year which will be 20 months post. since I have met all my deductibles on my insurance the test will practically cost me nothing. When I did my treatment I did a triple therapy dosing trial with incivek through a research facility. they dropped me like a hot potato after the 6 mo. post test and said any further evaluations should be done through my family doc or get a hepatologist. anyway my internist family doc didnt know what kind of test i should have so I told him to do the HCV RNA QUALITATIVE PCR. they took the blood sample there at his office and screwed it up. So they said go to quest and have them do it. I went today and asked to see the paper work after they had drawn my blood and the test was for the HCV RNA QUANITATIVE PCR. I said no I need the QUALITATIVE. They called my doc and the nurse said she was going to call quest and have them tell her the test to do. they faxed over a new order . she said she needed to draw my blood again because it was a different tube. I asked before they drew my blood again what was the name of the test. All they had was the number. I looked it up quest #8472 and it is for the Antibody TEST!! can you believe this!
Anyway, thoughts and advise please
Long Story short
I had my post 6 mo HCV test done and it was neg so I know that I am considered cured. I have the opportunity to get in another peace of mind test before the end of the year which will be 20 months post. since I have met all my deductibles on my insurance the test will practically cost me nothing. When I did my treatment I did a triple therapy dosing trial with incivek through a research facility. they dropped me like a hot potato after the 6 mo. post test and said any further evaluations should be done through my family doc or get a hepatologist. anyway my internist family doc didnt know what kind of test i should have so I told him to do the HCV RNA QUALITATIVE PCR. they took the blood sample there at his office and screwed it up. So they said go to quest and have them do it. I went today and asked to see the paper work after they had drawn my blood and the test was for the HCV RNA QUANITATIVE PCR. I said no I need the QUALITATIVE. They called my doc and the nurse said she was going to call quest and have them tell her the test to do. they faxed over a new order . she said she needed to draw my blood again because it was a different tube. I asked before they drew my blood again what was the name of the test. All they had was the number. I looked it up quest #8472 and it is for the Antibody TEST!! can you believe this!
Anyway, thoughts and advise please
Thanks everyone for your help. I wasnt able to look at the board when it was time for me to get ready to either call my doc or do something. I did end up calling directly the nurse practitioner I had at the research center again to at least tell me what test. She said the the hcv qualitative tma. It is the most sensitive , also the other tests are more expensive. This one also has a quicker turn around time for results. She said it doesnt matter what the viral load is if I have it. If the virus is detectable at all then Im back to square one. She was nice enough to call it in for me to quest. I went in today and had it done. uggh.
"What is the best quest diagnostics HCV RNA test post treatment for detectable /undetectable status. The Hepatitis C Viral Qualitative TMA#87521 or the Hepatitis c Viral Qualitative PCR#34024. "
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At 20 months post EOT, if you have the virus, it will show up regardless of which test you do.
All of my tests (except the EOT test) were the HCV-PCR Quantitative test (HCV RNA, Quantitative Real Time PCR), with the description of COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HCV test (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.). The quantification range of this assay was 43 IU/ml to 69,000,000 IU/ml (1.63 log IU/ml to 7.84 log IU/ml). This test detects virus down to 7 IU/ml and quantifies down to 43 IU/ml. This test stated whether the virus was Detected or Undetected (Qualitative) and gave me the viral load (if I had one) (Quantitative).
The EOT test I had was the Hepatitis C RNA Quantitative Viral (Hepatitis C Viral RNA Quantitative TMA. This test detects down to 5 IU/ml (Log <0.70 LogIU/ml). It is described this way: The detection of Hepatitis C viral RNA is based upon reverse transcription of viral RNA followed by transcription-mediated amplification (TMA). The test has a linear range of 4 IU/ml to 7500 IU/ml. This test just said the virus was <5.
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At 20 months post EOT, if you have the virus, it will show up regardless of which test you do.
All of my tests (except the EOT test) were the HCV-PCR Quantitative test (HCV RNA, Quantitative Real Time PCR), with the description of COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HCV test (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.). The quantification range of this assay was 43 IU/ml to 69,000,000 IU/ml (1.63 log IU/ml to 7.84 log IU/ml). This test detects virus down to 7 IU/ml and quantifies down to 43 IU/ml. This test stated whether the virus was Detected or Undetected (Qualitative) and gave me the viral load (if I had one) (Quantitative).
The EOT test I had was the Hepatitis C RNA Quantitative Viral (Hepatitis C Viral RNA Quantitative TMA. This test detects down to 5 IU/ml (Log <0.70 LogIU/ml). It is described this way: The detection of Hepatitis C viral RNA is based upon reverse transcription of viral RNA followed by transcription-mediated amplification (TMA). The test has a linear range of 4 IU/ml to 7500 IU/ml. This test just said the virus was <5.
Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Cap, CA92690 does the Quest Lab testing for Hepatitis C. I don't have the number on hand....but you can get it from directory assistance. I have called for test explanations and they are helpful in finding the answer to your question. It's a real person
answering the phone. Hope this helps.
answering the phone. Hope this helps.
I hope some comes along and really explains this. I had the TMA test and it detected 10 and lower. I hear there are test that detect 5 and lower. My doctor assured me that this was one of the best tests possible. There is a bigger and better explanation of this. You can read about the tests on quests website. You can also call quest at their testing lab where your tested are preformed. I have called quest and was any question I asked was answered. The think the difference with TMA has something something to do with your DNA...not just viral load.
You want a HCV PCR RNA test to see whether the virus is active in your body. As Cheese said, you want a Quantitative test.
You will ALWAYS show HCV antibodies, as you have had the virus,
You will ALWAYS show HCV antibodies, as you have had the virus,
What I need is to see wether the virus is present yay or nay. not how much. but they have two different tests PCR or TMA . I really dont understand the difference and why if one is better than another why still have the choice of two.
A Quantitative test will tell you how much of the virus is present in a sample. It can measure down to about 15 to 20 IU/mL and detect lower.
A Qualitative test will tell you if the virus is present and what type it is.
If I were going to check my viral load status a few weeks after ending treatment I would ask for a quantitative test,
but that's just me.
Cheese
A Qualitative test will tell you if the virus is present and what type it is.
If I were going to check my viral load status a few weeks after ending treatment I would ask for a quantitative test,
but that's just me.
Cheese
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