Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL), Serum/Plasma (Test Site EORLA)
Test Overview
Clinical Utility
Multiple sclerosis, other neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury.
Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) is a biomarker of neuraxonal damage and disease activity and is associated with clinical and MRI outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis patients. High or increasing values are suggestive of increased neurodegeneration and increased risk of progression. Normalized or decreasing values are suggestive of a better prognosis and/or effective treatment.
Reference:
M.S. Freedman, S. Gnanapavan, R.A. Booth, P.A. Calabresi, M. Khalil, J. Kuhle, J. Lycke, T. Olsson, C. et al., Guidance for use of neurofilament light chain as a cerebrospinal fluid and blood biomarker in multiple sclerosis management, eBioMedicine 101 (2024) 104970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.104970.
Method
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL)
Analytical Platform
Roche Elecsys
Result Included
Neurofilament Light Chain
Specimen
Specimen Type
Serum
Plasma (Na Heparin)
Important Note: TEST ID: NFLRO S
Non-interfaced clients should specify the Test ID TEST ID: NFLRO S when ordering this test. Not doing so will cause processing delays while ICL ascertains which test you are requesting.
Similar testing is available for clinical use at St. Michael’s Hospital: Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL), Serum/Plasm
Containers
Preferred Containers
Gold top (clot activator & gel)
Acceptable Containers
Red top (no additive); Na Heparin (Green Top)
Volume
Sample Volume
2.0 mL
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Pediatric
Volume
1.0 mL
Collection & Handling
Handling Information
Store and send frozen.
Stability
| Ambient | Refrigerated | Frozen |
|---|---|---|
| 48 hours | 7 days | >7 days |
Stable for up to 4 freeze-thaw cycles.
Performance & Interpretation
Turnaround Time
16 days
Results
-
Comment
Analysis performed by Roche Elecsys. Note, values are significantly (~85%) lower than Simoa.
NfL is a biomarker of neuroaxonal damage and disease activity and is associated with clinical and MRI outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis patients. High or increasing values are suggestive of increased neurodegeneration and increased risk of progression. Normalized or decreasing values are suggestive of a better prognosis and/or effective treatment. A change in NfL values >30% is beyond the analytical variation and may indicate clinically relevant changes in NfL results when interpreted in conjunction with clinical findings. This test has been validated for clinical use.
To convert previous Simoa NfL values to Elecsys values please use the following regression equation: NfL(Elecsys) = 0.1227*NfL(Simoa) + 0.1862
Reference intervals (97.5th percentile) determined using BMI = 27.2 kg/m^2, adapted from Benkert et al. (The Lancet Neurology. 21 (2022) 246–257)
Referral Location
Canada
Interface & Setup
HL7 Interface Codes
| Order Code | Result Name | Result Codes | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFLRO S | Neurofilament Light Chain | 64244 | pg/mL |
Test Version
Last Updated
2025-03-13