Laboratory Test Guide

VDRL, CSF (Sendout)

General Information

Lab Name

VDRL, CSF

Lab Code

RCVDRL

Epic Name

VDRL, CSF (Sendout)

External Test Id

0050206

Description

Test Information: The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) is a nontreponemal serologic test for syphilis that uses a cardiolipin-cholesterol-lecithin antigen to detect reaginic antibodies. The presence of neurosyphilis in untreated patients can be detected by the presence of pleocytosis, elevated protein, and a positive VDRL.

    Useful For: Aiding in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis.

      Test Algorithm: If the VDRL is weakly reactive or reactive, a titer will be performed at additional charge.

        ***Order Alert: Effective 05/22/2025, this test is no longer available at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. Samples will be forwarded to ARUP Laboratories for test Treponema pallidum (VDRL), Cerebrospinal Fluid with Reflex to Titer and reported under Reference Laboratory Test 1 (SEND1).***

        Synonyms

        0050206, Neurosyphilis, RPR-CSF, Soft-VDSF, Syphilis, VDSF

        Components

        Code Name
        CVD VDRL, CSF

        Interpretation

        Method

        Semi-Quantitative Flocculation

        Reference Range

        See individual components

        Ref. Range Notes

        Reference Interval: Nonreactive

        Ordering & Collection

        Specimen Type

        CSF, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Spinal Fluid

        Collection

        0.5 mL CSF in a sterile vial

        Handling Instructions

        Outside Laboratories: Freeze 0.5 mL CSF in a plastic vial at -20°C.

        Stability: Frozen: 1 year; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Ambient: 48 hours.

        Unacceptable Conditions: Other body fluids. Contaminated, hemolyzed, xanthochromic, or severely lipemic specimens.

        Quantity

        requested: 0.5 mL CSF
        minimum: 0.4 mL CSF

        Processing

        Freeze 0.5 mL CSF in a plastic vial at -20°C.

        Sendouts:

        • Temporary Workflow: Order ARUP Test: 0050206 (ARUPConnect manual order)
        • CAST will add a SEND1 in Sunquest upon result receipt.

        Stability: Frozen: 1 year; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Ambient: 48 hours.

        Unacceptable Conditions: Other body fluids. Contaminated, hemolyzed, xanthochromic, or severely lipemic specimens.

        Performance

        LIS Dept Code

        Sendouts Mayo Lab (FZ) (MAFZ)

        Performing Location(s)

        Sendout ARUP Laboratories, Inc.
        800-522-2787

        500 Chipeta Way
        Salt Lake City, UT 84108

        Frequency

        Performed: Sunday through Saturday. Reported: 1-4 days from sample receipt at ARUP Laboratories.

        Available STAT?

        No

        Billing & Coding

        CPT codes

        86592

        Billing Comments

        If this test is reactive or weakly reactive, a VDRL titer will be performed at additional charge.

        LOINC

        5290-2

        Interfaced Order Code

        UOW4104